LOST HOPE
by Slea
Summary: Titans go on a rescue mission in a hurricane and the next thing you know ..hope lost. the last chapters were unbetad please forgive and enjoy...Thanks to all who betad the first chapt. and those who took the time to review
1. Default Chapter

Lost Hope chapter one  
By Cyndi Smith   
Chapter One   
Gone with the Wind  
  
  
  
No one had any idea what today would bring. Tim had the summer off and with his dad in Europe with his new wife, he was given a choice of staying at the school, going to Europe, or working part time at Wayne Tech and bunking at Bruce's house. He chose the latter, but unlike any other corporate part time job, he had connections, and was going to use them to get the weekend off. Wrong, how was he to know the JLA would have something for Young Justice to do? Equipment detail, to be exact. Clean or sharpen every piece of equipment they and the JLA owned. As luck would have it they also took various members on several different missions. He just returned with the Huntress when he heard of the Titans mission.   
"An ocean liner lost power," Toni announced to a small gathering of others who arrived earlier. "It appears to be dead in the water, in the path of the hurricane. Nightwing flew Tempest and Roy out to help in a transfer of passengers from one ship to another. Seems the same cruise line was transporting an empty ship to their U.S. port when they picked up the distress call. Guess ever since the Titanic they don't fill the ship with people before they take it out on a maiden voyage."  
J'onn, totally lost on the humor, tried to explain in simple terms the reason for the ship to have been in the waters with only a skeleton crew.   
"Actually, the maiden voyage will be from Key Port to the south of France. They are only registered in Norway. For tax purposes, I am told."  
They were sure he never noticed the child-like snickering as he excused himself from the gathering of mostly teen heroes, who swallowed their giggles even now, as he stepped into the transporter and fazed from view.  
"Ya think he noticed?" The Boy Wonder heard one of them ask. He just looked at Toni, who rolled her eyes then continued her story.   
"Ah...Anyway after everyone is clear of the dead ship, Tempest is going to attempt to move the crippled liner out of harm's way in hopes of preventing a major ecological crisis. Normally I would have gone too, but Nightwing didn't want to deplete the resources of heroes on standby with Superman still working the landslide in Australia, so I volunteered to stay behind. Supes should be back soon, then there will be plenty of us to handle anything that might happen "   
It took nearly eight hours for them to complete the transfer, mostly because of the constantly changing weather and choppy waves. But once they were safely on board the other ship, they set sail for open waters to wait out the storm.   
Nightwing was watching Tempest as he rode on top of one of the blue whales that was pulling the stalled ship. It wasn't easy keeping the T-Jet up in the air with the crosswinds that were battering it. Because Hurricane Willow was upgrading to a Category 5, he knew it was no easier for Tempest and his friends in the water. He was surfing the most outer winds of the storm. The whales were pushing and pulling the luxury liner and its skeleton crew farther out to sea against the same winds as well as the waves. It was a struggle, but he moved it. And they were getting distance between them and the storm.   
"Hey, Tempest. Why is it Roy always gets the cushy jobs? A week on the 'Princess of France' cruise line's newest ship, while we get to go back to New York and wait for this mess to end, so we can begin clean up all over again," the Titan leader whined.   
"Got me. Maybe it's the sunglasses," the Atlantean replied over the wash of wind and rain. "Although I get some kind of weird sense of revenge believing for at least two or three days he will have to deal with everyone on board having acute sea sickness."  
"GARTH," Dick laughed. " Shame on you...And thanks."   
  
  
  
  
Their conversation was interrupted by static as it started coming out of the headphones. At first Nightwing ignored it as nothing more than electrical interference from the lightning that was being stirred by the storm. Then he made out the faint sound of a voice. It was an SOS from another aircraft.   
"...Air...4...7...lightning...damage...navigation...read..."   
"Nightwing to Tempest. I have an SOS somewhere near the storm. I'm going to see if I can get them up on the scanners...can you handle this?"   
"We have it moving now. We should be outside of the storm's range soon, so go ahead," the young ambassador from the sea acknowledged. "Just be careful."   
Nightwing took the T-Jet up above the storm. It was easy to pick up the disabled jet once he cleared the interference. The jet was moving around the storm, but parallel to the coast. Nightwing decided he should remain in front of the storm. Better safe than sorry.   
"This is Titan 1 to calling aircraft. Do you read me?"  
Air...407...navigation damaged by light...we...still in...air but have no way to nav... Radio is n...re...pon...well.   
"Words are broken but I understood. How do you read me?"   
"...coming in...clear."  
"I am coming up on your two o'clock." Nightwing confirmed, "Let me know when you have visual."   
Dick watched as the outer rim of the storm played out its wondrous show of light. The lightning was becoming more intense, but if he could get them heading in the right direction they should be able to reach land before the arm of the spinning storm caught up with them again. When visual was made and confirmed, Dick slipped into the next step of his plan. With the skill of a Navy Blue Angel or Air Force Thunderbird pilot, Dick slipped the T-Jet next to the crippled craft so he could see the crewmen in the cockpit and they could see him.   
"Captain do you have military background."   
"...sir... Nav...retir...Ralph is...force."  
Dick ran through a series of hand signals to confirm that both men understood him. With the damage to the instruments they had, he could not leave the chance that they were not receiving and understanding all of his directions. When they confirmed and the co-pilot repeated the instructions, Dick then began to rattle off the coordinates they would be following.   
"I will take lead. We will bank 20 degrees. Stay to my tail at all times; once you are on the proper flight path, I will do a fly around and make sure you have no further external damage. You are to follow your nose. At no time can you vary from that direction. It will take you directly into Metropolis International Airport, and get you on the ground about thirty-five minutes before the first waves of the storm. Do you copy?"  
After his communication was confirmed, he took lead and slowly banked. The large jet did the same after making sure the jet was on target. Dick pulled up and over the larger plane and performed a quick, inverted fly-by inspection of the top of the aircraft, then another over the lower half. The only damage seemed to be on the starboard side of the airliner. Coming slowly back to that side of the craft, he confirmed that as being the only external damage. His words no sooner got out of his mouth than his cockpit lit up like a Christmas tree. Sparks flew at him in all directions. He was losing control.   
He had to pull away from the other aircraft or risk a midair collision. A second explosion within his cockpit whipped his head backward. In a flash of light and blinding pain he was thrown from his seat. Over and over he was slammed into the equipment until he had no alternative but to give in to the darkness that came for him.   
  
  
  
  
Barbara Gordon monitored all of the rescues going on during that time. The liner had been pulled into a safe zone and the rescue ship was also out of the way, back in the ocean to weather the storm at a much safer distance. The members of Young Justice were coming in from their attempt to evacuate the outer regions of the coastlines with members of the JLA, and Nightwing had just placed an airliner back on course with the intention of leading it into Metropolis International, just ahead of the storm. Which meant he was not going to be making their date again tonight.   
"Everything else seems to be in order, Captain," she heard him say. The reply from the jet liner was still inaudible. "We will maintain course and get home in time for a late lunch. With our...aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaauuuuuuuuugggggggggh."  
The connection to the T-Jet was gone. Barbara tried desperately to regain some kind of connection with the former Boy Wonder, including his personal cell phone, but received no answer."   
She set off all of the emergency calls she had at her disposal. Superman answered, but she could see most of the team and Young Justice where sitting around the conference table staring up at a large image of the Oracle mask.   
"What is the emergency Oracle?"   
"Superman, I have lost all communications with Nightwing in the T-Jet." She could hear the chairs being moved away from the table and mumbling increase in the room.  
"He was assisting an airliner near the hotspot of the hurricane," she explained, "then something happened and we lost... Oh, God...Oh, God NO!"   
"Oracle, what's wrong?" the leader of the JLA requested, still sounding horribly calm.   
Instead of an answer she switched over audio input to her receiver and played it over the comm.   
"I repe...thi...is...rit...Airlines Flight 407...If anyone can hear us, please respond. We were...be...assist...by Titan...me...ber...Nightwing...at coordinates...23 south...niner... nor...when his aircraft...s...hit...exploded in a...fire...we are...currently...Direction... giv...prior to...God help us all."  
Superman had to raise his voice to be heard over the ruckus of volunteers to form a search party. Robin was halfway out the door before Wally caught up to him. "Hang on, squirt"  
"Let go! I've gotta find him."  
Kon quickly moved to his side. "Man, I don't mean to dis your abilities, but if Nightwing couldn't fly in that storm you don't have a prayer. Me, on the other hand..."   
"Superboy is right, Robin. He and I will go out, but Kon is going to lead that jet home. I'm gonna try and locate the T-Jet. Everyone else remain on standby. If anything comes up, let me know." Both Superman and Superboy were gone in the blink of an eye.   
Robin struggled against the older man's grip "You're supposed to be his friend." He finally managed to achieve some leverage and tossed Wally across the room. "Why did you stop me!" Wonder Woman started to interfere, but Wally was up and back next to the distressed boy before the Amazon could move.   
"Because I am his friend and you're his brother, and if anything happens to you because of this, he would never forgive me."   
"Then change it. Bring him back. You've done it before."  
"Yeah, and we're still struggling against the repercussions."   
For a moment The Boy Wonder just glared at him, then easily broke free from his grip and stormed away.  
"...And for that...I will never be able to forgive myself."  
"Just like his mentor. Does he expect the world to revolve around him," Wonder Woman asked.  
"BACK OFF, DIANA!" Wally snarled. "You don't wanna go there right now."  
Suddenly she realized she was the object of everyone's stares, some angry, some shocked. Realizing how that must have sounded with Nightwing missing, she quickly apologized and walked away.   
Superboy took control of the aircraft. With his powers, he would easily be able to get it to the airport before the first arm of the storm, and they wouldn't have to worry about losing power or fuel...barring of course him getting hit by lightning.   
Superman began a search for the wreckage of the T-Jet. A quick scan of the waters around the coordinates Nightwing had given them just prior to being struck by what they were calling a ball of fire, showed nothing more than tiny particles of the materials that were once part of the Titans' aircraft. The explosion must have been enormous for the pieces to have been ripped into such small pieces. "Oracle to Superman, be advised the storm has changed course, believed to make landfall somewhere between Gotham and Metropolis. Just north of Blud... Bludhaven."   
"Understood, Oracle. Have you been able to reach Batman yet?   
"Negative..." she returned. He could tell that she was trying hard to maintain professional composure. "It's eleven-thirty in the morning, he's not at work, no one is answering the cave," she confirmed. "He...uh...may be asleep upstairs. I am trying to contact Azrael now."   
"Don't bother, Oracle. I'm en route to that location now."   
"Did you..." She noticed he turned off his tracer and adjusted his transmitter so the communication was directly to her and couldn't be unscrambled.   
" No...Barbara, I'm sorry. I have found small pieces of the T-Jet. But...I really don't believe there's any hope Nightwing survived..." 


	2. No Hope

Lost Hope Chapter 2  
  
  
No Hope  
  
  
He stood atop the tallest building in Gotham, defying the wind and rain that pummeled his skin even through the Kevlar that enfolded him. Lightning struck all around him. His cape and cowl gave him no protection, but he didn't care. A fire of hate burned deep within him...he would defy the Gods themselves for answers.   
Bruce wanted to wake from this nightmare and never sleep again. That's what he was doing, when word came. His eyes opened to the sad mask of sorrow of a man that in another life was known as a man of steel. But there was no steel in him this day; he had been crying, one more piece of a puzzle that he had never seen in the alien from Krypton. A dark mask he hoped to never live long enough to see again. What kind of horrors could be so great that it could rip through this walking shield of justice like kryptonite? The momentary anger from disturbed sleep was stopped as if it slammed into a wall of lead. The Dark Knight remembered trying to breathe...to talk, to scream...but nothing would come. Instead he just waited; waited for the world to collapse in on them both.   
"Bruce," Clark whispered. "I'm sorry. I..."  
Bruce sat up in his oversized bed as Clark fell into the chair next to him.  
"I'm sorry. We...Uhh, the JLA just received a report...Dick is missing...presumed dead." Before Bruce could strike out at his word, Clark turned the television on.   
The news flashed a picture of Nightwing in the corner as Lois Lane reported from a large bay window at the Metropolis International Airport. "...The passenger, a man believed to be in shock over witnessing this horror, was taken to a local hospital." As the reporter continued, an amateur film of the black sky replaced the picture of Nightwing.   
The dark outline of the T-Jet was barely visible when the lightning lit up the sky. Then, suddenly, what appeared as a ball of lightning struck the rescue jet. It veered away from the crippled craft and fell from the sky as the only light in the storm. Suddenly a series of explosions in the distance seemed to drown out the other flashes of lights in the storm and the sky went dark. "...There will be an inquiry into the incident as soon as the storm passes and the wreckage of the Titans T-Jet can be found. But for now all the JLA, the Titans, and the rest of the world can do is wait.   
"To recap, Nightwing, leader of the group of young superheroes known as The Titans, is missing, presumed dead. After a daring rescue of Brit Airlines flight 407, from London to Metropolis. This is Lois Lane..." Clark turned off the television and the screen went black.   
Bruce wasn't sure how long he stared at the blank screen. His mind suddenly went dead. He couldn't think, he couldn't see, he couldn't remember how to breathe. The next thing Bruce recalled was being shaken into reality by Clark, and hearing his name as if it was coming from downstairs instead of the worried man in front of him. Reality struck him hard in the chest as the words he had just been told came tumbling out, "Dick is gone."   
Clark could see his face harden with that deep lack of emotion, as if he had just reached behind his head and pulled his cowl on. "I suppose the Titans already know," he growled. Clark just nodded his head.   
Then I should contact Barbara and let her know. And of course I...I have to tell Tim," he mumbled as he attempted to stand on rubbery legs.   
"They know, Bruce. Young Justice was working with JLA at the time Oracle got the call."   
"Then I guess all I have to...I have to find Alfred. He can't find out like this. I don't even know where he is. He was going to visit his brother in England. I..."   
"He knows too, Bruce."   
Bruce looked up, almost angry at the thought that someone might have dumped such horrid news on the man that raised him.   
"Bruce, Alfred was on the plane that Dick saved. He saw the whole thing. He was so devastated they took him to Metropolis Memorial to be checked out. They thought he might have had another heart attack, a minor one. But you know Alfred, he began taking over the hospital about five minutes after he got there."  
"I'll get dressed and go get him."  
"You can't get there in this weather. It's a wonder they haven't tried to evacuate the manor. Look, he contacted me before I came. He says to tell you he is fine, and will ride out the storm in Metropolis. He told me that he would like for us forget our differences long enough to work together to find Dick, or at least recover his body..." Clark watched as Bruce barely acknowledged he heard him. "When the storm clears, I will bring Alfred home, Bruce. I promise."   
"The storm?"   
"Hurricane Willow made a turn for land just about the time Dick's plane went down. They expect landfall about 7pm tomorrow, somewhere north of Bludhaven. Tempest is already conducting a search of the sea. I should be able to do one from the air by midnight tonight. I tried earlier but...Look, Bruce, there is no telling where the wreckage has been strewn and the chance of finding his body is well...I'm sorry."   
Somehow Bruce knew; saying the chances of recovery were slim to none would be optimistic. Dick must have survived the lightning strike, the explosion and the crash, and then if Dick survives that, the next challenge would be surviving the storm while in the water. If Dick isn't injured so badly he can't survive alone in the ocean...there might be some molecule of hope. He just wasn't sure where to look for it. Dick, after all, was the only link to hope he had left.  
"The JLA and Titans are going to meet at Titans Tower in New York. If you would like to come I can take you. It's kind of a candlelight vigil. Most of them will be too busy after the storm hits to participate in the search, but myself, Wally, and a few of the Titans are going to give it a try. You're welcome to come along."   
"NO!" Bruce yelled. "This doesn't change things. I'm still the same person you kicked out of the JLA. I'm a loner, remember? I can't be trusted anymore. If Robin and Nightwing choose to continue to work with the JLA, that is strictly up to them, but I didn't need your help before and I don't need it now."   
Clark was certain the words hit Bruce as hard as they struck out at him. Then, as if Bruce was suddenly pushed away and the Batman persona regained control, all emotion left his voice. "I'm sorry, Clark. No, thank you. I appreciate your offer, but mourning is something I am well versed in. There is one thing you could do for me to save time...if you could get me a copy of the amateur film they showed, I would appreciate it. I also need the reports from the Titans, especially those on the rescue mission. I will know why and how this accident happened. If I need anything else I will contact you or the Titans. As for Alfred, if he is going to be okay in Metropolis, there will be things I should take care of here. I would appreciate it if you would make sure he is comfortable and safe. Anything he needs, let me know I will take care of it...Anything..."   
"Gotcha," Clark returned, trying hard to put on a strong front. He smiled slightly and left the room. It was the last thing Bruce remembered before he found himself dressed as the Dark Knight standing on top of the tallest building in the city like a great dark lightning rod, in the worse storm he had seen in ages. Then, as if to curse the Gods, he shook his fists in the wind and screamed. 


	3. Grief

Lost Hope   
Chapter 3   
Grief  
  
  
  
  
When Donna landed on the deck of the rain-drenched cruise ship, she knew that no one could see her tears. But no one was on the deck; she didn't know how to make this next move. She was scared, so scared she never saw Roy walk up behind her.   
"You miss me wonder chick?" He smiled placing his strong arm around her shoulder. "They gave me my own suite with its own Jacuzzi, never been used by anyone yet. What say we go christen it?"   
Donna turned but her eyes could not meet his.   
He gently lifted her chin to find her face was red and her eyes puffy.   
"Donna, what's wrong?"  
"Dick's..." she sobbed, hoping to get the words clear of her mouth before she broke down again. "...he's dead..."   
Tim had fallen asleep in Dick's quarters at Titans Tower. He was the first to leave the candlelight vigil; he couldn't stand one more story of 'The First Robin' and his great escapades. It was not jealousy that drove him nuts it was...they all talked about him as if he were dead, and he just wouldn't believe that. Dick couldn't be dead; he promised to take him to one of the Nascar Winston Cup races this year, maybe even going to Daytona to catch the race and then spend the rest of the week at the beach catching waves. He'd really never seen a race before but in talking to Davey at Brentwood, he learned there was only one thing better than a good Nascar Race and that was all the babes who went to them. Dick tried to convince him that, considering what he did for a living, the races were probably going to be boring, but he would see what he could do to scrounge up some pit passes. Dick wouldn't lie to him.   
Okay, that was a stupid thread to hold onto. But right now he would believe anything to push away this anger that was building inside, the feeling of abandonment that heated his soul. That's when he noticed that he had totally destroyed the room. His throwing stars found their way into the wall, the desk chair, the dresser, and the picture of him and Dick that his surrogate brother kept on the desk. Dick would flip out if he came back to find this mess...or just think he was at his apartment. God how he wished he would come back.   
Bruce sat in the Cave, his robe hanging loosely over his shoulder as he stared at the monitor that played and replayed the copy of amateur film that caught the destruction of Dick's jet. Even the shower didn't wash away the memories of the day or the coldness in the air. This cold wasn't from the damp air of the Cave, it was much deeper. He doubted he would catch pneumonia from it, not that it mattered anyhow. He damn near electrocuted himself the night before. He has no memory of when or how he got to the top of the building, or even why he went.  
"As Alfred would say, it wasn't the most impressive move in my repertoire." He thought out loud. Luckily you don't have to hit him with lightning to knock some sense into him...just hit twenty feet from him and blow him into the roof's emergency access door. It was about then when he realized where he was and climbed down the building, at least he thought he climbed down. The only thing he knew for sure was he was sitting in the car in the cave wondering what transpired just last morning.   
Now he was watching the film loop for the hundredth time...nothing seemed to change the ball of "lightning" striking the jet. He could actually see by the movement of the craft that Nightwing was struggling to maintain control and rolled away from the other jet. The guy who was filming it managed to follow it out of sight, as the lightening appeared to be enveloping the entire craft. Then just before it disappeared from sight, there were two, maybe three explosions, the first barely noticeable when the second lit up the sky.   
He enlarged the frame till there was nothing but a major blur and, in stop-frame as close as the computer would let him get, he replayed that one more time. He was right. The first explosion tossed something away from the craft, but not very far, when the second and third explosions occurred. If he was right, the first explosion was Dick ejecting the rescue pod from the T-Jet. The second was the jet's destruction and the third was the destruction of the pod. 


	4. faith

**Chapter 4**

**Faith**

  
  
  
  
Dick had no comprehension of time. There was the coolness of the rocks beneath him and the forces of Hell beating against his back. He couldn't focus his eyes his head hurt so much; his arm felt as if someone tried to rip it off, and he could feel his ribs move out of rhythm with the movement of those on the other side…but he knew he had to move and move fast because the tide was coming in. He was aware of the excruciating pain that was being enhanced by the salt waters that were being sloshed into his long crusted wounds. The world kept spinning awkwardly as he fumbled to gain footing against the rocky shoreline of his refuge. He only made it about three steps before the world began to spin violently again. At first his stomach revolted, then his legs, and then his mind. 

A great shadow fell over him, dark and frightening. It blocked the sun. 

***GET UP! Get up!*** it yelled. 

"I can't!" he cried back at it. "Oh god, I hurt so much." 

***You have a choice. GET UP NOW!*** it growled. ***Or Die.***

"HELP ME, damn it! Please. Help me," Dick pleaded in response. 

***I AM…*** the shadow barked, then some how in a calmer, more soothing voice he whispered, ***The only way I know how.***

Dick looked up, but the shadow was gone. 

With every ounce of energy left in him, he managed to crawl to the tree line of what appeared to be a small forest. His broken arm hung uselessly. He pulled himself shakily over a fallen tree, then lay quietly, trying desperately to force air in and out of his shattered body. He would rest here. That's what he wanted to do most. Just sleep. But as soon as he closed his eyes the shadow returned. 

**"Wake up,*** it called to him his eyes fluttered open but felt no fear of the great winged beast that stood before him. 

"Just let me rest a minute." 

***You don't have a minute. You could be alone on this island a long time. If you are to survive, you will have to look for water and shelter and tend to your wounds. But first you must set your arm and dress it quickly.***

Dick looked down at his arm. The bone had ripped through the skin and was exposed and filthy with dirt and dried blood. He thought he might throw up, but again the shadow distracted him. Although he now realized the voice was just his imagination, an apparition caused by obvious head injury, he couldn't understand why it appeared to look and sound so dark. More importantly why he seemed to want to obey its every wish. The only thing he knew for sure was that he trusted the voice. Besides, it seemed to make sense, what it wanted him to do, as if it was only trying to help him. 

***Carefully remove the gauntlets,*** it said. ***You will need your first aid kit and your knife or Batarang from them.***

 He laid his wounded arm on the fallen tree and carefully pulled the items from the small pockets. "I wonder which one of these has the strings and ceiling wax in them. He giggled, not sure why a forgotten childhood song flashed in his head and quickly abated, but he found some comfort in the memory no matter how quickly it disappeared. That's when he found it, a small blade shaped like a bird. He gently glided the blade down his arm then peeled the material back as if it where the skin of an onion. He didn't even notice the areas where he had cut into his own skin till he began to bleed. 

He found the small bottle of liquid. It was not going to be enough to clean the wounds thoroughly. He had to go back to the water's edge and wash the crusted wound open

***Let the blood flow freely,*** the voice said. 

Tears began to flow as he looked back at the water line. He remembered the pain as the wave washed over the dried wounds, but he stumbled blindly back and knelt in the water. Not too far out, just far enough to submerge the wound. Then using the material from the glove, he scraped and scrubbed the dirt and scab from the wound. The water around him went from blue to red in a matter of moments. Cradling the newly open wound in his other hand, he shakily made his way back to the tree then dumped the bottle of liquid selfishly over the muscle and bone. He heard the hiss of air as it escaped his clinched teeth. But that was all until the voice returned. 

***Sit on the stump. Place the arm between the trunk and the branch as tightly as you can get it. There is no room for error.***

Dick did as he was told, wedging the useless limb in the crook of the downed tree. Then he stood up. He felt the bone submerge within his muscle, then as the voice told him, he snapped the upper arm into place over the two separated pieces. The shadow's voice was echoing in his head over his own screams to remain awake. "Don't give up. Don't give up." Then he took the other glove he had cut the hand out of, removed all of the equipment from it, and pulled it in place tightly over his wound. That was the last coherent moment he would remember for many hours. 

  
  
Tim felt groggy and confused when his eyes opened. He became more confused when he realized he had no clue where he was or how he got there. It looked to him like a forest, and the last place he remembered being wasn't a forest, it was Dick's bedroom. Well, he thought, maybe this is a dream. 

He wandered aimlessly within this dream. He never realized how worn out you could get dreaming until now. In the distant he could hear the sounds of waves crashing against the rocky shore. It wasn't long before he could smell the ocean spray, its steady rhythm lulling him towards it, making him more tired than he was before. But he wasn't paying attention and he stumbled over something in brush. As he looked down at his feet he saw the blue material of Nightwing's costume. He scrambled to his feet and turned him gently over. He was covered from head to foot in blood. 

"Hel...lp me, I can't think…don't know what to do…help me..." The frightened young hero grabbed for the specter of his dream, but his body began to fade. Still Dick begged to him. "I can't think. Please help me." 

In a last ditch effort he screamed to his friend to listen. "Dick, please hang on. I know you're alive. I'll find you, I promise! Hang on!"

Slowly the illusion faded to the gentle words of Donna Troy as she gently shook him awake. At first he wanted to strike out at her, but the tears in her eyes reminded him that it was just a dream. 

Dick awoke to the patter of a gentle rain that caressed his hot skin. He revelled in the taste of it as it slowly moistened his parched mouth. He lay there with his mouth open for many minutes. Then the voice returned, ***You must find water and shelter.***

"I had a dream," Dick whispered. "…a boy…He said he would find me." 

***It was a dream, not important. You must find water and shelter***

"…he knew me…I thought I knew him."

***NOT IMPORTANT! It was a dream.***

"It was important to me."

***If you are to survive, you must find shelter.*** it growled. 

"And what if I don't want to survive," Dick growled back, trying to sit up. "I have nothing. No memory of anything, at least anything that makes sense. The only things I have are dreams I don't understand and YOU, some deeply demented nightmare that seems to find pleasure in my pain. What do I have to live for but the pain of surviving alone? You keep pushing as though I should give a damn. Give me a reason to survive!" 

***Survive because you can.**** It growled, ****The reasons will come soon enough.***   
  
  
  
He picked up the remains of the glove from his injured arm and tossed it at the vision. It of course only hooked itself to a tree and clung there. That was when he noticed for the first time something hung from one of the pockets. It was a photograph of a beautiful woman dressed in a cowl and cape with long, flowing red hair and heavenly eyes of green. It was as if God had sent him a reason to survive. He didn't know who she was, but she was beautiful and made him feel stronger. Maybe she was an angel. His angel. 


	5. reality

**Chapter 5**

**Reality**

Bruce watched Clark as he reviewed the weather satellite tracking of hurricane Willow. He had been sitting in the Batcave for three hours, the last two hours watching the movements of the storm from its conception off the coast of Africa to its dissipation near Greenland. Twenty days in all, on three different screens; the first was from the national weather service, the second was from a Wayne Tech infra-red satellite, the third from the JLA's satellite. Bruce must have hacked the uplinks from the computer since there was no request made to them for this information. Truth be told, he didn't need them, at least not for information. 

He showed the films in tandem, the first time with just the storm. Then the second time he added the paths of the ocean liner and flight 407. 

"According to the ship's log they changed directions so as not to cross paths with the storm. They were actually hit by the first of the outer rings when something happened and the engines stalled." Superman gawked at the screen. 

"It looks like the hurricane was following the ship." 

"Now, the blue line is the original flight path of flight 407, the red dot is the plane. The original path would have taken them south of the storm. But watch…" During his pause the storm seemed to get larger then backtrack south. "At this point," he emphasized with a virtual pointer, "the report says they were confirming a new flight path when they were struck by lightning…here." From the point of view the archive was filmed, it almost looked as though a they were struck from out of the blue, for they were still south enough of the storm to have been safe.

"That's not possible," Clark growled. 

"There actually have been reports of lighting strikes hitting miles from the storm. Rare, yes, but not impossible. Now watch. The blue dot coming northeast of the storm is the T-Jet. As you can see, this is were he came upon them, took the lead, changed the direction just slightly and…according to Captain Roman's, here is report where Dick checked out the exterior of the plane. And..." In the infrared depiction of the scenario, what looked to him to be the explosion of the T-Jet originally, wasn't; at least not at first. It looked as if the whole storm became a conductor of electricity and then literally, from outer space, a white-hot ball came into view and hit the T-jet directly. 

"What was that?!?" 

"That was proof that if Dick is dead, then it was no accident. He was murdered." 

"You're also telling me that the storm was man made?" 

"I have not told you anything," Bruce growled. "I know everyone thinks I've lost it, Clark; that I should accept the obvious and go on. But until just now the obvious, as you believed it to be, was that Dick was killed in some freak accident on a rescue mission, during a natural phenomenon. What does the obvious tell you now?" 

"Someone has developed a man made machine that can produce and control the weather and be used as a weapon," Clark surmised. 

"Hurricane Willow was not a disaster it was a success," Bruce added.

"If it had not been for the fact you were looking into Dick's death they would have gotten away with it," Superman growled. "The next question is who are they?"

"I'll be honest with you Clark, Wayne Tech has been working on the cutting edge of that kind of technology, but I saw where the direction the military wanted to take it, so I avoided involvement with them by not acknowledging the research. There are maybe four companies with the ability and resource to continue this kind of research…STAR Labs, Powers Industry International, Wayne Tech, and LexCorp," Bruce said.

"We know it isn't Wayne Tech, and Powers International is currently under investigation of espionage through the Russian Branch, so they're too vulnerable. That leaves STAR Labs and I don't' believe that STAR has the political pull to do what they did without international repercussion. But President Luthor has the money the resource and the power." Clark surmised. 

"And the one thing that STAR Labs doesn't have…military access," Bruce growled. 

"So what you're saying is the United States military is behind Nightwing's murder?" 

"No, what I am saying is the Commander and Chief of the United States military is," Bruce snapped back. "But it also leads us to another problem. How do we confront Luthor without compromising world peace? He attacked a French cruise ship with Norwegian registrations, which was carrying three prominent German Diplomats on board. The British Airliner was on its way to New York carrying 13 of OPEC's highest ranking officers. My best guess is that the last blast was sent by one of the military satellites, possibly the one that is controlling the storm, maybe another. They tried to hide it with the storm but…"

"But, Why the Titan jet? Why not down the airliner or take out the ocean liner." 

"Think about it, Clark. Both the jet and the ocean liner might have gone down had the Titans not helped out, but it would have looked like they were struck by lightning and gone down in the storm. Simple everyday air/sea accidents, but the T-Jet wasn't just any aircraft. It's made to withstand nature and almost anything this planet can toss at it, whether or not those inside can. How better to confirm the operation of a weapon than to use it on one of the best-built aircrafts in this world? It was just a fluke the T-Jet was there, but it could have been just as useful if they were able to do the same to the Batwing or any of our other equipment, when someone decided to take that opportunity give it the ultimate test."   
  


Dick was finding himself more and more tired. His days seemed to crash together. He managed to find a large concave stone filled with rain water. It was too large for him to move even if he was fit, and he would have to shelter it from the heat of the day and find a way maintain a source of fresh water. He found a cave as well, but more often than not he would find himself passing out almost anywhere and waking up later in the day not even sure if it was the same day. 

At times he couldn't even remember the things he had done before passing out or what he had intended to do. The voice returned less and less but it managed to make sense when it talked him in to writing things down. He kept a soft piece of limestone and a piece of bark on him and made a point to write anything that came to him, however insignificant it may seem, on the cave walls. The first thing on his wall was the words Bat, Angel, Boy then the word Survive. Something about those things gave him the will to live. He placed them in front of the place where he slept, the light of the fire dancing on the words.

His food consisted of plants and berries the bat told him would be okay to eat. He didn't know why sometimes he saw the shadow and sometimes he just heard this deep voice that made him want to do what he was told, but he felt like it was something from the past, something that saved him before, something that was trying to help him save himself once again. The rain was coming again. He needed the clean water. His arm was on fire, and he needed to stop the infection or make a decision between his arm or his life. He didn't think he could do it. Maybe he could, but it wasn't a decision he was yet willing to make.   
  
  
  


Tim stared at the satellite pictures of Hurricane Willow. He'd reviewed them over and over and over again and still wasn't satisfied he didn't miss something. He knew he should just close his laptop and go to bed. It was a good idea to try and get some sleep but all sleep brought were recurring nightmares of an injured and lost friend that everyone continued to tell him was dead. Everyone but Bruce, not that he believed otherwise; he just preferred not to talk about it at all with anyone. The only thing Tim knew for sure was he would not have wanted to be a bad guy in Gotham or Bludhaven this past two weeks. Between the JLA, the Titans, and Batman, the criminals of Bludhaven were made totally aware that Nightwing may be gone but he and his work were not forgotten. 

Alfred came home from the hospital the day after the storm passed. Everyone counted their blessings that it had not directly hit the mainland. It had already spun in to a category 5 storm before Dick's plane went down. But like most devils, it spawned many little storms and before it was finished with the shore lines it had been the direct and indirect cause of millions of dollars of damage to coastal cities and towns, as well as 26 lives, the first being Nightwing. It was being hailed a miracle it didn't make land, but he and Batman knew better.

A cartoonist in the daily planet did a sketch of Nightwing as St. George fighting the Dragon Hurricane Willow. Tim laughed but in his heart that was the story he wanted to believe if he had to accept that his friend was gone. It wasn't something he had accepted yet, maybe that is why he had spent the last couple of hours watching these damn tapes. He was beginning to feel a morbid attraction to the damned tunnel of wind that took his friend's life. He actually watched the JLA's weather satellite footage of the hurricane, from its inception to its current standing somewhere harmless in the ocean, three times. He was on viewing number 4 when he saw it, the flicker on the screen, not of lightning, but of some kind of reflecting material. With an adjustment of the computer, the film showed the thermal images of the same tape. The thermal scan videos showed little or no heat compared to the vivid red spots that appeared on his screen as lightning. It could be a piece of the T-Jet but if it is, it was a big piece and up to this point in time there have not been any big pieces found. The image never reappeared anywhere in the film afterwards. If Bruce was right and Dick did have time to eject, was it possible for him to have ridden the storm within the ejection pod for two days, and survive? 


	6. Anger

Lost Hope   
Chapter 6  
  
  
  
As Robin, Dick Grayson had become his friend. His first friend, his best friend. Land dwellers didn't know him and ocean dwellers feared him. "Even if the King of the Seven Seas trusted you, it didn't guarantee others would," Tempest recalled as he stared sadly at a picture of the two of them together. **But Robin never judged him.** He accepted him and he taught him to use his differences to his advantage, making him a stronger and better person. But not strong enough to stop the tears in the last week. He mourned the loss of his friend to the extent that even the love of his wife and child often could not break through the vast emptiness that the loss of his teammate had caused.   
Batman had asked for a final report. He also asked if he could meet with him and the original Titans here at the Titans Tower. Wally wasn't going to be able to make it, but the others were here. Maybe it was time to let go and rebuild their lives. Wayne Tech had already replaced the T-Jet. The new specs were designed by Dick originally with some minor changes. Maybe Batman was ready to let go, too.   
Tempest never heard his friend enter the room. "Hey, are you ready Garth," Roy growled. "He's here."   
Garth looked up at Arsenal; he had not smiled since he had returned from the rescue. The same dark shadow hovered over both men. They were the last ones to be with him and never got a chance to day goodbye. The one time Tempest didn't know what was worse, the name-calling and sense of humor when Roy was happy, or the lack of it when he wasn't. Garth slipped on his gauntlets and dunked his head beneath the water of his tank one more time, then quickly pulled himself out. Extending his hand out, Roy took it, Donna placed hers on top of theirs as they stared solemnly into each others' eyes. Garth said the words that no one else seemed to have the strength to say. "Titans Together." With that they all fell into each others' arms.   
Maybe it was a good thing that Batman had planned to talk to the Titans because what Clark had on his mind to do; his father would say was a bit pea brained. It was going to be tough enough not giving in to his anger there would be no way he would be able to control Bruce too.  
Being Superman didn't always give you access to places you wanted to go, and Luther would make sure he was not given the red carpet treatment in the White House, unless there was something in it for him. He noticed the security had doubled since he last visited the newly elected leader of the free world. Could it be that Luther was expecting him? Well he was going to get that visit and he wanted Mr. President's undivided attention. Clark noticed Lois in a crowd of reporters. He had forgotten it was her week on what was now lovingly called the Dirt Floor by the reporters, having to face the daily bullcrap that President Luthor dished out. It gave him an idea.   
The President's secretary was quite beautiful, but then he was known for keeping beautiful women around him. He also knew he trusted no one; he would have some kind of bug to listen in on those who where in the room, especially if he saw Superman coming. A quick nonchalant look around the room proved him right.  
"May I help you?" she queried.   
"Yes, I'm Superman. I don't have an appointment but I have a situation that may concern national security and I would like to discuss it with the president before the wrong people find out. It has to do with the downing of the Titans' jet."  
"Yes, that was tragic. To die in a storm you were attempting to save others from..." She sighed.   
"Ma'am, there was more to that incident than meets the eye."  
"Nonetheless, I am afraid the president is unable to see you at this time. He will be leaving to meet with the press and then will be off to an international conference. If you would like to make an appointment, I believe I can fit you in on the 27th of next month."   
"No, thank you. By then it will be much too late. I guess I will have to handle it on my own. Starting with my own press conference." 


	7. sorrow

Chapter 7  
  
Superman never made it out of the room before Luthor and his bodyguards scurried out of the office.   
"Superman!"   
"Mr. President."  
"To what do I owe this pleasant surprise?"   
"Mr. President, I understand your need for security, but I need to speak to you alone. "  
"I am sorry, Superman, but I don't have the time nor the inclination to adjust my schedule at this time to give you a private meeting. Whatever you wish to say to me you can say in front of my bodyguards."  
"Luthor, I'm here to advise you that it has been discovered that your company is responsible for the death of Nightwing, a young man whom I consider family. Your weather machine was a success, but I can assure you it will not be a threat for much longer."  
Luthor had the audacity to appear shocked. But in the same movements he reached for a lead-lined box he kept in his pocket.   
"It has also come to our attention that in your abuse of your powers as President of the United States, you were testing your weapon against members of other nations when the Titans unknowingly intervened. Before you open the box of what I can only assume is kryptonite, I think you ought to know that prior to coming here I dropped off a few packages to several people who will be shocked to discover the contents...including France, Norway, Germany and England, as well as to a few news reporters who would want nothing better than to get an exclusive from you about the attempted murder of their respective nationalists. This information has already been given to the members of the JLA and the Titans as well, and though you may be able to take me out, I seriously doubt you can do the same to all of them."  
"I have no clue what you're talking about, but I can't imagine that someone who claims to stand for 'Truth, Justice and the American Way' would concoct something so detrimental to this country," Luthor growled.  
"Those words lost a lot of their meaning when you took office, Luthor. But I can assure you I have every intention of trying to protect this country, even from its own stupidity."   
"Not saying that this accusation is true, but if it were and it should get out that the United States had, as you say, made an attempt on the lives of nationalists of other countries, it could start a war. Surely you wouldn't want that to come about," Luthor whined "War?"  
Superman bent closely into Luthor's face, his bodyguards both pointing their guns point blank at his head. He could feel the effects of the kryptonite that lined the bullets. "You," the Man of Steel growled, "murdered a good man, Mr. President. I will see you pay...One way... or another." With that Superman turned and walked away.  
  
  
  
"Titan 2 to Batman," called Garth, who had taken the co-pilot's seat. Quickly switched on the planes communications. "You're not going anywhere with out us."   
"Never intended to, Tempest. There will be a lot of area to cover. Robin has used the bat computer to triangulate a search area. The pictures were taken near the border of the United States and Canada. It then became stationary, lost strength and died out. I don't think the winds would have been able to carry it much farther. There are three small islands that are not supposed to be inhabited in the area, according to satellites. I think if the pod was dropped in this area..."  
"Then maybe he is on one of the islands!" Roy announced excitedly "But which one?"  
"There is still the very real possibility that he never survived the explosion, Arsenal."  
"Or the pod was submerged when it hit the water." Tempest added. Donna remained quiet, trying to control the ship and her tears.  
"Even if he was alive...his resources, air, food, would..."   
"STOP IT." Donna cried out. "Please stop it. Let's find him dead or alive, but please stop debating about it until we do find him."   
The rest of the flight was dead quiet until they reached proximity of the search. Suddenly Batman's sonar picked up something submerged between two of the islands.  
"Batman to Titan2."   
"We picked it up, too," Roy returned in a whispered voice. "We're descending to drop off Tempest. Hang on."  
Garth hit the water and quickly swam to the spot of the sonar contact. Part of him was hoping it was some other form of human garbage. The waters in this area were cold...it made sense that the storm was man-made; it would have never survive these waters. He certainly couldn't see how Dick would have.   
"Poseidon, help us." Tempest prayed as he found the wreckage. It was the pod, but if Dick was still inside he was dead. "It's the pod all right...there is a large gap in the side of it..."  
The next couple of minutes seemed like hours. Parts of the equipment lay sprawled near the wreckage. For a moment he couldn't bring himself to look inside, but he knew there were so many waiting for answers. "By the gods," he whispered looking at the destruction inside the pod, "He's not here. The pod is empty."   
"What are the chances anyone has seen a stray bird down there," Roy groaned. His eyes were suddenly filled with uncontrolled tears.   
"Funny you should bring that up. There is a pod of orcas near here that said the great wind laid this egg against the rocks of one of the islands. The waters stole it from the rocks but when the human calf hatched it was injured and sick and not able to swim so they helped him beach himself. I don't know if it is much help but he was alive when they left him."  
"But the islands are uninhabited. The sensors show no life forms." Donna confirmed, "So he's..."  
"Look again," Batman announced with just a hint of emotion in his voice. Both Donna and Roy played with the knobs, and to their surprise they found that despite the previous information, two of the islands had life forms.  
"Batman the uninhabited islands...are inhabited, at least two of them. Something must have been jamming the signal."  
"I concur, it may be the earth base of the weather satellite that shot him down. They could have some kind of jamming device that has given us false readings," Batman confirmed. "For all we know the readings we are getting now may not be real. Lets check it out."  
"The equipment is picking up a lot of interference but it looks like there is a faint signal coming from the small island. Do you think it could be...?"  
"I don't know; it's possible. I can't seem to keep a fix on it. It could be just an image ghost or it could be some outcast from the other island. Did the whales happen to specify which island they took him to?"  
"The one west of our position," Tempest acknowledged.  
"Then it's him," Donna screeched   
"Lets not get our hopes up, Donna. The island to the east is heavily armed. It looks like it's laid out for some kind of military installation, Batman."  
They were right. The larger island appeared to have something to hide. A large mountain within the center of the island was a mask for something that seemed to need a good deal of concealed armament to protect it.   
"Batman, we'll handle the big one." Roy smiled, " I think Donna and I need to let off some steam."  
"Don't be stupid, Arsenal. I am not leaving you to face them alone."  
"If this is what you think it is...they won't have enough people on this island to keep me from blowing it to hell," he barked. "Garth, meet us at the southwest corner of the island. Batman, you check out the other island. Whoever is over there is going to need your help. And if it's him...tell him he owes me a cruise."   
No more words were said. None were needed as far as Arsenal was concerned. That is until two words began to echo in the back of his mind...   
Titans Together. 


	8. strength

Again, many thanks to my Beta's all of them.  
  
Note the characters are property of DC comics I only barrow them on the weekend to keep from having to do my homework.  
  
Chapter 9  
  
Batman stood outside the cave, and he stared in to the darkness. He had never before been afraid of the darkness, by all that is rights you could say he has practically lived in a cave for more than half his life... and yet. He could not bring himself to enter this one for fear he would find, (or not find) what he had come looking for, the body of his son.  
  
The pain wouldn't go away anymore. Dick knew his pain would not go away but maybe the dreams would let him sleep. The dreams were his only connection to his memories. Fragmented memories, of a persons he couldn't remember and yet those memories have kept him alive. They walked him through survival skills that he was pretty sure were not taught in boy scouts.   
  
The infection in his arm was getting worse. He couldn't concentrate enough to rid himself of the throbbing in his head any more. Maybe if he could just sleep, sleep with out the dreams he would be ok. At this point he didn't care. He had been on the island for days could be more. He remembered loosing consciousness after setting his arm. The goop he made from the plants was not healing the wound. The battle seemed lost the poisons were beginning to spread through him. At this point he didn't care he just wanted to sleep and if it meant forever. That was ok. He couldn't remember the faces that popped up in his dreams he couldn't remember his name. If he died now he would have no regrets, at least none that he could remember.   
  
"Dick, son, wake up,"   
  
Dick painfully turned to his side. "The pain doesn't want to go away anymore ... so why don't you go away instead. Just let me sleep."   
  
Bruce did a quick survey of his son, there was a large bruise and a dried scabbed wound on the side of his head he may still be suffering from the concussion, considerable bruising to his upper torso and arms as well as cuts on his hands, but his biggest worry was the compound fracture of his left arm he seemed to managed to reset it which is a remarkable feat considering the condition he must have been in at the time it was done. But the infection was already moving through his arm and up toward his neck. He was alive but he wouldn't last much longer.   
  
"Batman to Superman." He only had to wait a moment for a response. "I found Nightwing. He's alive." He could hear the rousing cheer of happiness flood the transmission, than an elated man of steel came back over the link. "Great news, Batman."   
  
"Superman can you meet me here. His wounds are pretty extensive. It will take me as much time to get him to the Batwing, as it would take you to get here and get him to Star Labs. Bruce could feel the change of attitude on the other side of the link. "On my way," was all he heard before the line went dead.   
  
"Dick wake up." "NO more dreams.... please. I appreciate.... what you did.... but I can't do ....this anymore." He whimpered. He weakly swung his good arm expecting it to go through his vision just like it had time and time again but it didn't this time it stopped and fell back to his chest. "Your... real? "Yes son." Bruce smiled as Dick looked back at him confused and disoriented. "Your real!" Dick tried to sit up but Bruce held him down. "Lie still help is on the way. Your pretty banged up." "I tried to..." Dick mumbled barely coherent. "...I did everything you said..."  
  
"Everything ...I...?" "Wait, you called me son. Are you my father?" Dick whispered seemingly lost in a struggle with his thoughts. "Dick you have a severe concussion you have had it for what is the better half of 5 days. Do you remember anything about the accident." "No. Nothing. My name is Dick?" Dick winced as he wrestled to get the words out of his mouth. "Everything is scrambled. My head hurts. I wrote everything down just like you told me." "I told you?" "Yea. I uh Uugh, I'm tired." "Dick stay awake son," Bruce commanded. "What else did I tell you? Talk to me." "I don't remember." He mumbled "Bits and pieces bits an pieces.... It started when I woke up on the rocks... just my head playing tricks... I guess..." Bruce could see the confusion in his son's eyes. "Nothing makes sense ... but at the time I was grateful for the thought any thought and the company... I don't like being alone... You, uh... it said; Find shelter. Make it if I had to... I wrote it down like you said..." Bruce saw him stare at the wall every time his memories began to falter. In big letter he had written Bat Angel Boy then the word Survive. "...Find away to signal...You said... I tried ... but it was so hard. I was so tired...I hurt...my head, my ribs, my arm... I had to set my arm. I couldn't remember. I kept forgetting what I needed to do ' "But you're remembering them now. Did you have any other memories? Did you see any one else." Bruce question. "Just you, the Angel, and the boy... I guess that would be my little brother...or maybe me?" He surmised "no,.. I think... well...he could be my brother. We have to be related somehow. "   
  
"What makes you say that." "Well... I might be imagining it... before now ... you were shadows and words. He ... we kind of look like you..." Dick turned his head away and tried to close his eyes but the man whom stood in front of him would not allow it. "Come on, son. You have to keep talking." He urged. Dick looked up and slowly traced the emblem on the mans chest as if it was the first time he noticed it. "The bat" he whispered. "What about the bat. Son." Tapping on the bat emblem on Bruce's uniform. "Does everyone run around in these ...or do you just dress us funny." Dick wondered if he had ever seen the man smile like he was doing now it seemed so new yet so real. "Can't blame me for that one son. You designed your own costume." Bruce smiled "Why do we wear them...we don't ...hurt people do we? "No, no " "Then ....why do we...?" He pulled his mask from under the pillow he constructed from soft grasses. "No, son," answering the question. As if he had read the boys mind. "We try to help people, unfortunately we have to hide behind these to protect our selves and the ones we love.' Dick nodded still looking confused and really tired. He gently pulled the end of Bruce's cape against his chest, and closed his eyes for a minute but the costumed man was not going to allow him that. "So who was the angel that visited you?" "She didn't visit. I wish I could have remember... knowing her... I guess... had her with me all the time." He pulled a small frayed picture from under the grasses he lay on. "I found her picture in my glove. She's beautiful isn't she." Bruce looked down at picture of the one time batgirl carefully cradled in the injured man's shaky hands. "Yes, she is. She's been very unhappy since you disappeared." Dick stared at the tattered portrait; he could not imagine this woman with out that smile. "What's her name," he quarried. That was when he realized she wore the same emblem on her chest that he did. "Ohhhhhhh no....She's not my ...sister is she?.... Pllllease ssay she isn't my sister." "Nope, she is not your sister." He lifted a small device. From his belt and opened it. Batman to Oracle Barbara's tear streaked face came quickly over the screen "Here Batman." She sniffled "There someone who wants to speak to you." he turned the small device around and Dick stared at it in awe his angel was real. But she no longer wore the costume. She was crying. Gently reached for the screen almost praying that he would be able to reach through it. "I ..uh .." he mumbled as he looked up at the man who held the small box in front of him then back at the screen. "Don't cry...please ..uh... oracle" "I can't help it, I've never been so happy in my life." she returned crying harder. "Look, ... I am a little fuzzy on some things,... but I am pretty sure this is not how someone is suppose to act when they're happy." This just made her cry harder. Or maybe she was laughing. Or both. "I'm sorry" he returned, worried he may have said or done something wrong. "I didn't mean...." "It's Ok, you just gave us quite a scare, Wonder buns, but your safe now," another face came over the screen, A beautiful blond in black and yellow jacket over a skintight body suit. It was the first time she had ever seen Nightwing with out his mask but with all the bruising she still had no way of recognizing him. "... That's all that matters. I'll take care of your girl; just remember to call before you come over so we can make ourselves presentable. Hey Bat's you still there. Dick looked up the man had don a cowl over his head. Took the gadget from him. "Here, Canary Go ahead. "Superman should be there any moment now, Star labs is expecting our injured bird boy, anytime now." "Appreciate your assistance Canary. Thanks, for everything." He returned. No soonerdid he put away the device than another man came in the cave through the once solid ceiling. Dick looked awed at the man as he walked up to his makeshift bedside. "Wow." He smiled weakly "Ya know ...I was thinking ...that would be a great place to put a skylight." Superman chuckled as he kneeled down next to the boy, and ruffled his hair. "Glad I could help, Dick." "Bruce, I have Starlabs on stand by. We should be there in about 10 minutes. See you there in about 30?" Dick suddenly looked scared. "Bruce?... Your name is Bruce?" It didn't take a news reporter to realize what one of Dick's symptoms was. "Amnesia," Bruce answered Superman's unvoiced question. "Look," Dick emphasized as much as he possibly could in his condition. "I may not remember a lot but I think... I remember ...I don't wanna go to any Labs or Hospitals. Can't we just go home." Superman easily and gently picked up the injured young man, that's when they both realized Dick still had a firm grip on the batman's cape. "Right now home is not an option. Not this time." Batman announced. He removed a syringe from his utility belt and injected it in to Dicks arm then he removed the cape that his son still held on to from around his own neck and laid it gently over his son. "But I'll be there as soon as possible and as soon as you get the Ok from the doctors we'll take you take you home and you can let Alfred fuss over you." Dick quickly succumbed to the medication. Clark looked anxiously at his former teammate and a man he truly wanted to call friend. It didn't take ex-ray vision to see the worry on the man's face. "They'll take good care of him Bruce I promise." With no more than a glance Bruce thanked the man of steel and watched as the vanished through the sky. 


	9. something missing

Lost Hope  
  
Chapter 10  
  
This work is short and unbeta, sorry  
  
It would have been nice to say things went well after that, but a body mending over night is something straight out of comic books and primetime TV. Nightwing's injuries had been so extensive that he required many surgeries including one to release the pressure in his head. Starlabs had done the best they could for him, they stopped the infection and the bones and muscle in his arm and ribs where repaired using a state of the art laser and a bone cast that actually slipped over the bone and supported them while they mended. As soon as he was able Bruce had Dick moved to a Private Hospital in Europe. It was unnecessary for a look-alike Nightwing to have an exterior cast on his arm, and worked out pretty good for the cover story they used.  
  
News reports read like this; Dick Grayson was injured in a skiing accident in Switzerland his arm broken and a severe head injury has kept the heir of playboy Bruce Wayne in the hospital. Doctors say that the head injury was their greatest concern. Still his physical recovery has been amazing. Friends who have visited say that the young man is doing great and even though Grayson's arm while still in a cast is getting stronger every day and has even challenged one of them to a tennis match when they get home."   
  
The story, of course was untrue, but was convenient in more ways than one. With Dick already in Europe's best research hospital, Bruce was able to seek help from the world's best doctors. Despite their best efforts when Dick awoke in the hospital his memory was gone and he didn't even recognizes his friends or family. Nothing, not even the events on the island remained. The doctors announced that there was very little hope that the young man would be the same ever again. For nearly a month he was confined to his room. Alfred was worried enough about the situation that he returned to the mansion to prepare for there return from Europe.  
  
Still out of the country, and seen by all the best doctors in world, Bruce had his son moved to a small apartment near Paris. He Hired a full time nurse and therapist to be on hand. Dick at first seemed to be unaffected by the things that were going on around him. Doctors said that it was a blessing that he could eat on his own. Many people with that kind of head injury would. Have to be retrained to do even the basic things including talk and feed themselves. But more often than not if he did not eat it was because he chose not to. His talking was a different story he never made any attempt to talk to anyone. His word came out in slow one-word increments. He seem to struggle for every slurred word unless he was asleep then when the nightmares came he words all though chopped up his speech was clear.  
  
His nurse and therapists were stumped He wouldn't even speak to them to get something he wanted. If they would not give it to him unless he asked for it he would simply curl up where he was and stare out into nothingness. Bruce had Alfred and Leslie brought to them as soon as it became apparent that these doctors were not going to break thru. At first he wanted to just take Dick home but Barbara and Leslie both rejected that idea.  
  
Then came the day some of the members of the titans came by to visit. He was sitting alone in his room when Donna and Garth entered the room at first Dick didn't acknowledge them then as they got closer he seem to shy away holding his head as if it where going to explode. Worried for her friend Donna rushed to his side but instead of coiling away he tossed her across the room. Bruce pulled him away from them and he collapsed into a fetal position on the floor. From that day on he had not spoken to anyone.  
  
Leslie put him in the hospital one more time, to run a series of tests. Doctors told Bruce that he was regressing, and requested that he place him under psychiatric care. He also announced that it maybe a permanent situation so he might consider finding a hospital closer to home that deals with this kind of patient. Soon after this Dick began to sleepwalk again. The hospital strapped him to his bed as a precaution and Dick nearly broke his wrist trying to escape the bonds.  
  
That night Bruce took him home. Leslie didn't think it was a good idea, but neither was trying to restrain the boy. Such stress on a man with his history would only make things worse. Bruce was right if he is going to wander around in the night at least it should be someplace where there were others to who could keep him safe. 


	10. Thought and theory

Lost Hope  
  
Chapter 11  
  
It also took Alfred to convince him not to disallow his friends' rights to visit. If nothing else one of them might be the trigger needed to bring him back mentally. Besides the fact they were tired of having to turn away people who cared for the boy and who was just as much a part of his family as Bruce Tim and Barbara.  
  
"Right now" Leslie argued, "He needs those people. But he is confused and afraid."  
  
"They are frightening him. Leslie," Bruce rebutted. "He doesn't understand what is happening to him. Hell, he's frightening me. That man in there is not Dick Grayson, he is totally different.  
  
"NO! Not a different person! Master Richard is still there he is the same person. I will not let you hide him away the same way you did Bruce Wayne." Alfred piped in. "Even if he never gets his old memories with his friends there at least it will give him a chance to create new ones. For God sake son don't give up on him like you did yourself."  
  
Bruce and Leslie just stood dumbfounded they had never heard this man talk down to anyone, yet alone Bruce.  
  
"Alfred Pennysworth!" Leslie scolded, "I don't believe my ears."  
  
He too could not believe he spoke that way. But it was already said and too late to take it back. He apologized but Bruce told him it was not necessary he was only speaking the truth. and as always the truth hurt  
  
Bruce gave in to their request and went to Roy personally to hand him a list of rules that had to be followed if they wanted to come by and visit. They were to always call ahead of time. No costumed visitors. He knew the last two rules would cause the biggest ruckus. First because one of the last rule he stipulated was that "the children would not be able to see him," the final rule was "those who visited where under orders not give him any information that might force memories".   
  
"Name, rank, and serial number?" Roy asked. "Is he allowed red cross packages?   
  
"My rules, Roy. You don't want to follow them don't bother to come by." Roy's scowl didn't penetrate Bruce's blue eyes he was serious. "Look Mr., my daughter isn't just a child she is his Godchild. Hell, I wouldn't even have her if it were not for your son. They are as close as I or any Titan is to your son if not closer. He has sat with her when I wasn't home, and he has sung to her when she couldn't sleep. Hell, he taught me how to changer her diapers. Don't think I will allow you to cut that bond just because you can't handle having children in that mausoleum you called home." At first Bruce wanted to lash right back at him, as Dick would say: Confrontation is something that he can handle truth is a little more difficult to swallow and often hurts. He wasn't here to pick a fight. He was just protecting his son and more than likely Arsenal's daughter. Maybe in the some way he could understand why he had to make that rule for now. Maybe if he approached this the same way his son would he could make the titan understand. Bruce pulled back his cowl and sat down in the large conference chair. Here goes nothing.  
"If you were asked what is the attribute that made Dick a "hero" what would you say?" The look that crossed a startled Harper would have been priceless in another time or place "Are you nuts? He was... is the best." Roy Admitted. "He was always thinking always moving always one step ahead of the bad guy. His mind is as sharp as a tack and his athletic skills unbeatable." "I would have to agree. But the person in my house or mausoleum as you called it; is not the person you hoping to see. He looks like the Dick Grayson you remember but it isn't him. His body is mending. For a while he would even follow me around the house. He acts like a child lost, he would stop when I stop and move when I move and shy away if anyone moved toward him. His actions are sometimes autistic in nature. He acts as if he is not aware anyone is there, and yet seems to be aware of something more. Sometimes he will eat at the table other times Alfred has to try and feed him. He sleeps most of the day and except for Babs and Tim he hasn't attempted to hold any kind of conversation with anyone. Donna Wally and Tempest have all been by but he didn't even seem to see them." Bruce explained "Why do you think that is?" "I have my theories." Bruce mumbled "This morning I found him in the garden sitting in the dirt with the watchdogs. He had written the words Bat, Angel, and boy in the dirt then the word Survive underneath it. It was the same thing he had written on the wall of the cave. It seems to be the only part of his whole ordeal he remembers or acknowledges." "Then it would make sense that he talks to her and the kid." "What about the bat? Has he talked to him?" "NO" Bruce admitted almost too quickly. "When he was in the hospital he couldn't remember anything or anyone. I think he recognized my voice, but not me. It was as if when they relieved the pressure on his brain they wiped his mind clean too. When we brought him back here he couldn't even remember the hospital. But when I came in to his room he trusted me even if he doesn't really remembered me.. As for the batman, He has not put the two entities together yet. You cannot tell him. The doctors believe it would be best if I had Dick institutionalized he has for all intensive purposes withdrawn from life. It's like you said Dick is a thinker." It was as if a light flashed on in Roy's head. "He is withdrawing from us because he doesn't remember us yet something deep inside is telling him he should?" "Roy, I am not trying to keep your daughter from him. I am only trying to give him a chance to come back to us, and keep her from being emotionally injured." Bruce explained. "If she said something that that triggered another withdraw what would that do to her. I know it isn't fair but all I am asking is for time. If there is any hope of finding the old Dick Grayson we have to let him figure it out. " "Is there any hope? Bruce just shrugged. "Alfred says that Dick is in there somewhere. I am not so certain. Maybe." Bruce pulled the cowl back over his head. And turned to leave "Please let the others know and try to make them understand it is for the best. Also when you do come by: If he asks you about something specific answer him. But try not to give him more than what he asked for. It won't be easy but let him work it out." 


	11. anquish eternal

Chapter 12  
  
Although Dick began talking in choppy incomplete sentences again he never asked anyone anything; memories would creep into his dreams at night and vanish in the time he would awaken. They tried everything they could think of to help him remember his dreams but it didn't seem to work. Bruce even took him to Haly's circus in hope that that his most loved memories as well as the most tragic memories of his life would ignite the fire that used to burn in his sons eyes, but it didn't work. His only real memories were of the boy in his dreams the Vision of the bat and the picture of the angel that he found while stranded, but now he just had no clue what the memory meant. As the nightmare became more constant he seemed to be coming more and more despondent.  
Nights were becoming more difficult as Dick fought the need to sleep. Against all that Bruce believed, he finally agreed to use medications to induce sleep. It was added to his food or drink and he was not left alone. Once he fell asleep. Leslie and Alfred Barbara and even Tim took turns watching over him. But just as Bruce had feared the Dick was withdrawing. His one word sentences, gone even his smile was gone. He was becoming more introverted as the dreams were becoming more vivid. Sometimes the dreams were so real he would awaken with bruises that had not been there the night before. The walks were happening less only because the meds where working. But on occasion he would get up and wander down the stairs and out the door. But they were always to the same places. if the dreams were mild he would end up in the garden.  
Any time he came on to the grounds he was met by Ace, one of the guard dogs, she would wander with him and sometimes it was as if Dick knew she was there. Who ever was sitting with him that night would fallow closely but only Ace would guide him if he seemed to wander someplace where he might be hurt, she would push him away from the trouble by blocking his movements with her body... and until he awoke or someone carried him in the house she never left his side. Sometimes the walks would lead to the Cemetery on the grounds he always went to the same spot on the far side of the hallowed grounds by a beautiful Oak tree that over looked the Bluff and guarded one isolated headstone that held two names the grave of his parents John and Mary Grayson. He didn't seem to pay any attention to the headstones them selves just the spot. This is why Bruce was certain that the dreams were no longer dreams but memories. He recognized some of the dreams by the boy's cries. Just as mother or father would know whether their infant was hungry or just tired by the way it cried. It was a sad reality to the life that he and his son shared. Leslie on the other hand was not ready for the pain the memories brought. She watched night after night as Dick became less social. His withdraw was becoming a physical problem as well. To keep from falling asleep he would walk until he could no longer move, and no one was eating a proper meal. Dark circles became an obvious feature of everyone in the house. Sleep was done in shifts and the medication they had given him to help him sleep was becoming more necessary as the young man fought the urge to close his eyes even to blink. But for the first time Leslie saw the reason he was fighting the needed rest. She had been there when he finally closed his eyes. She had spent many a night trying to ease him through his unfruitful sleep but any more his tears started even before the sleep came. Leslie listened, as the young man seemed to struggle with the return of another nightmare. Standing next to his bed she wiped the sweat from his brow. He wrestled for what seem to be an hour, and then slumped back into his bed. It wasn't long before his subtle grunts began to sound as if he was actually being hit. She tried talking to him but there was no response. Then after a few more minutes of silence he Dick cried out. In all her years of medicine she had never heard such anguish and true pain. He was no longer remembering this dream he was reliving it. The screaming stopped. Whatever Dick was experiencing had him arched nearly off the bed. Leslie screamed out in horror. But even that didn't break the sequence that the young boy was experiencing. She struggled to hold his convulsing body down but he seemed to have the strength of a bull, his body arched as if his hands and feet were tied. His mouth open but no sound was made. Alfred came running in the room just as Dick collapsed back into the soft cushions of his bed. Dick's eyes were open but empty his breath-labored, blood began to trickle from his nose and mouth. As Leslie quickly attempted to assess the young man she realized she was shaking and she couldn't stop the tears from falling and nothing she was doing was helping the young man whom she considered one of her own. Alfred tried to comfort her but she broke free from his embrace and ran off. This was his fault. This was her fault. this wasn't the first time she was made aware of the depths her boys sacrifices. But it was the first time she had experienced it, and she hated it.  
  
Roy had finally gotten permission to bring Lian to visit after spending most of the day with him. Dick just sat in the garden. His sentences seem to consist of no more than two words. And most of them were aimed at the dog, which was allowed to follow him around. He had even stopped talking to Barbara, Tim and Bruce. It was like talking to an oversized child. Yes, no, please and thank you, were the major words in his vocabulary. If he chose to talk at all. His actions and his word were more and more child like. Medication had made him listless and despite the need to fight sleep he could no longer walk any farther than the garden. Roy spent a long time with his daughter trying to explain that the man she new as Uncle Dick or Nightwing was no longer there. That he was trapped inside himself. She didn't care she wanted to see her uncle Dick. His argument to Bruce was simple. If for no other reason than to give him another child to associate with. He got his permission and told them he would have a room prepared for them. Bruce wanted Leslie to speak with her before they let her visit. If she OK'd it they could try this experiment more in-depth in the morning. At this point it didn't matter Bruce had lost all hope of having his son back.  
When he returned that evening he had explained to his daughter, as much as you could explain to a 4 year old, the problems that her Uncle Dick was having. She was just happy she was finally going to get to see him. Alfred met them at the door when they got there he told them that Dinner would be ready in a few minutes But he had to tend to Master Dick so if they would like to wait in the den they could Dick had fallen asleep on the chair in the den. Alfred had not realized his young charge had wandered from his room and fallen a sleep when he told them to go on into the den he would bring refreshments. "Unca Dick!" Lian announced brightly as she busted through the large door. The sound startled the sleeping man. His movements so quick that his actions came with out thought he reached out grabbing the blur that appeared in front of him and tossed her over his shoulder. Luckily Bruce had just appeared from the 'cave' when they came into the den he caught the frightened child just before she went through the glass door to the patio. The child quickly wrapped her arms around the big man who held her. Roy was still in the door way unsure what just happened. He couldn't remember feeling so helpless. Even his voice left him his first instincts were to kill his best friend, but he knew that wasn't Dick's fault really. "Oh God, forgive me." Dick cried, his voice as shaky as his legs. It was Dick Grayson that said those words not the Child that they had come to see as of late but the young man. Bruce gently carried the frightened child to her father. Trying to break through the look of shear horror that grabbed Dick. He realized what he had done. Bruce was certain that Dick was living his nightmares again. "Oh God, forgive me." "It's ok, son. Bruce whispered in the only voice that seemed to penetrate his fears. "She's fine." "Oh, God. Please for give me," He stumbled as he backed towards the doors to the patio he nearly tossed the child thru. "I am so sorry. Oh God. He fumbled with the doorknob. " Oh, God, Roy I would never hurt Lian. Oh God." still fumbling with the doorknob till it open then ran out the door. "Roy I have to go find him before he gets hurt." Roy reached over to the child who quickly reached for her father's neck. "It's ok baby, he didn't mean to hurt you honey." "I know he was scared." She smiled behind the tears. "Me too." "Me three." Roy whispered as they watched Bruce run out into the night. "Daddy? You said the unca Dick wouldn't recognized me." "That's right sweet heart, he hasn't regained his memory yet. It may take a long time. He may never remember us." "But daddy if he don't rememmer me how come he knew my name?" Dick ran through the wooded vale he seem to pay no mind to the branches that continued to punish him for braking through their fortification. His mind reeled back to a greater pain and the only way to relieve himself from it was to give in or give up "Hail Brother Blood....Hail...NO! HELL NO!." The pain of the memories kept flashing in his head. Twice they became so vivid that he fell to his knees his mind flooded with the pain and sorrow he felt... he caused... It was his fault he was to blame. There were only two ways to cleanse him self of the all that he saw. His body collapsed to the ground from the intense pain began to relive. The torturous times he had fallen pray to that mad man and because of him he nearly killed his friends and now ... Roy forgive me. he thought, as he struggled against the pain and weariness to regain his footing and run. I nearly killed Lian. The tears blinded him, as he broke free from the forest wall heading for the enormous fence that separated the massive grounds of Wayne Manor to the normally lonely roadway.  
  
Bruce had followed Dick with little problem but with much amazement. The young man who could barely lift his fork to eat was leading him a merry chase. He wasn't trying to hide from him that was certain but it was Dick not Robin or Nightwing this time he was following. At first he thought that he might have been sleep walking (running) He often show signs of great strength when he struggled with those memories. But he had seen that look of horror that crossed his face when he recognized what he had done. A look he had seen once before, the day Dicks parents died. It was in fact the first spark of the Old Dick Grayson he had seen in a long time. He cleared the forest just in time to see Dick scale the fence with very little effort he was half way through the clearing before he realized the boy had stopped running and just stood staring as if hypnotized, down the roadway. Bruce was half way up the fence when he realized what his young ward was staring at; Dick's form suddenly became silhouetted by the large headlights of a massive eighteen-wheeler that was barreling at him. 


	12. sharing guilt

Lost hope  
  
Chapter 13  
  
Roy stood speechless as Bruce placed Dick on the bed in the medlab. His friend made no effort to move as he placed heavy leather straps around his arms legs and torso. He just stared at the stalactite-laden ceiling of the cave and continued to mumble. Roy stepped up to the bedside stunned by what he was seeing. "You wanna tell me what the hell just happened." At first Bruce ignored him then he looked over at Alfred who came out of nowhere with a blanket and cup of coffee which Bruce drank greedily. Then he turned to Roy and led him from the room.  
  
"His memories are returning," He said bluntly.  
  
"Yea, even my four year old figured that out. But why is he acting like this? What happened after you guys left? Why is he totally catatonic, and you both covered in mud?"  
  
"I don't know why I didn't see this coming. He was always so hard on himself." Bruce mumbled.  
  
"HEY remember me the one who's daughter you two where playing catch with." Roy Growled. "I want some answers."  
  
"Dick just tried to kill himself." Bruce waited for a reply but when not was forthcoming he continued "He stood himself in the pathway of a Semi- Truck coming down the main road. They never saw him till it was nearly too late."  
  
"Thank God you got to him." Alfred murmured.  
  
"I didn't. Ace knocked him out of the way."  
  
'The Dog? How...?"  
  
"I don't know how but she came out of no where, by the time I got to him he was in the ditch I couldn't find the dog."  
  
"Bruce, the guy I talked to today was barley holding up his head. How the hell did he suddenly become Mr. Olympia."  
  
"Shock, fear...I don't know" Bruce replied looking down at the young man who seem to be lost, starring at nothing as if he were looking through him. 'The only thing I am certain of was for one moment in time I had my son back... or part of him. Now I'm not sure he will ever find his way back." Bruce gently wiped the mud from his sons face. He had seen that look before not so long ago. When someone he had grown to love gave everything she had to save his life. The stress was so difficult for her that she withdrew into herself. She was now a four year old trapped in the doctors beautiful body. All hope was lost. "He's gone."  
  
"I don't get what you saying." Roy growled, "The Grayson I know wouldn't just give up."  
  
"LOOK AT HIM" Bruce snapped. "DOES THIS LOOK LIKE THE MAN YOU KNEW? THIS MAN HAS GIVEN UP. TO THE POINT HE TRIED TO KILL HIMSELF."  
  
"NO, this doesn't make sense. WHY HELL WOULD HE DO THAT!"  
  
"Roy what went through your head when Dick tossed Lian across the room?"  
  
"I wanted to kill him." The archer admitted.  
  
"But you didn't move. Why?"  
  
"WHY? I DON"T KNOW! ... I guess I saw you there. I guess I can't believe Dick would have ever tried to hurt her intentionally. He acted out of instinct. He must have been asleep when we came in and she startled him. I guess I knew the Dick Grayson I know would be harder on himself than I could ever be." He admitted.  
  
"Exactly. You have an advantage that this young man is missing right now." Bruce told him "he doesn't know Dick Grayson. Except in his sleep when he's reliving the nightmares. Other wise he wakes up to a blank screen and muddled thoughts."  
  
"But suicide?"  
  
"Maybe it wasn't suicide maybe he just froze when he saw the headlights. Still, one of the things I have noticed about Dick's memories are most of them are post Circus life, except for the day his parents died and I am not even sure he realizes that they were his parents. There is no Dick Grayson before that. And since he doesn't talk about the memories I am not sure which memories he has had but for two of them. They are two I will never forget."  
  
"Which two? And how can you tell."  
  
"When Dick first came to live with me," he replied, "he hardly ever slept. At first I thought it was because of the nightmares and the things that had happen to him in JDC. He needed his family; I guess I really didn't know the difference between giving him a place to live and giving him a family. Night after night Alfred would find him sitting on his windowsill or doing calisthenics in the bedroom one night he actually went down the tree and tried to run the fence line. He almost made it to the cliffs. I flipped out it was dark he could have been killed. Leslie told me he might be sleep walking he had done it as a child according to Mr. Haly and she said he was so exhausted his subconscious was in total control. I stayed with him the next night. I sat in the chair next to him while he slept. Less then an hour later he began screaming for his parents reaching out as if he could just stretch enough he could keep them from falling then his eyes would open as wide as they have ever been, the pain seemed to erased the light from them. I will never forget that sound, that look." He paused for a moment waiting for the young Titan member to absorb what he had just heard. Bruce was fairly sure they knew about his nightmares, but the look on the boys face gave him the feeling that they didn't know half of what he thought they knew.  
  
"The other was what Blood had done to him."  
  
"Brother Blood." Roy whispered. He had not been there the first time the Titans faced Brother Blood. Dick was haunted for a long time by the fact that he nearly got his friends killed when "Blood" had messed with his head. Donna had shown Roy pictures of the torture The Titan leader endured but you couldn't convince the son of "the Bat" that a normal person would have not lasted as long as he did before he had back fallen to the mad mans hands.  
  
"I wasn't there" Roy admitted aloud "But I heard about it." Bruce walked over to the computer leaned against it. Did you know that they filmed what they did to him? I know you saw the snapshots but did you know the whole thing was caught by video camera? Bruce's hand shuffled wistfully over the keys as soon as the monitor activated he left the boy watching the film of the incident to get a shower. By the time he had gotten back Roy was no longer in the cave. He quickly looked in on Dick except for being cleaned up there was no apparent change in his condition. Then he ran up the stairs finding the patio doors open he found Roy in the garden kneeling on the ground relieving himself of his dinner. He stood quietly over him making sure he was ok, but made no attempt to disturb him.  
  
"Sorry, Bruce..." Roy groaned still unable to look up.  
  
"Some of it washes away" Bruce replied helping him over to one of the benches in the garden "One day I might tell you what I did after I first saw that film. Or not."  
  
Roy and Bruce were not sure how long they had sat in silence in the garden but it finally became too quiet for Roy.  
  
"Maybe we should check on Dick." Roy pondered starting to feel uncomfortable with this "New" Bruce he was seeing. "The way my luck is going he will remember how to escape from those straps"  
  
"Alfred has a monitor on him. If there is any change even in his breathing he will know. And Leslie is probably with him."  
  
"I don't get it what's up. Bruce?"  
  
Bruce just turned and faced the boy unsure what the young man wanted to know.  
  
"Look you never, never, treated any of us as if we where friends. Ollie used to say if you got any more tight-assed your butt would fall off." He thought he heard Bruce smirk then realized he just called Batman a tight- ass "...Uh, sorry, but this is what I mean. A couple of months ago I would have been messin my pants from the 'look' you would have given me. "  
  
"Sorry"  
  
"See there you go again. What's with this whole human thing?"  
  
"Roy, I hate to tell you this but I am human. Have the scars to prove it."  
  
"Yea Dick used to try and convince us you were too, but you always managed push that theory out the window by just entering the room." Roy explained, "It's like you have been taken over by the pod people."  
  
"How do you know I haven't" Bruce returned with out even blinking.  
  
"Yea ... See... Now that is the Bat we all have come to know and fear."  
  
"Truth"  
  
"Never known a Bat to lie... Just not be forward with info."  
  
"I didn't want you or any of the Titans with in 20 miles of Dick after he first started withdrawing. Although I know it wasn't true I wanted to believe something that was said or done had caused him to begin to shut down." Bruce confessed  
  
"Whoa that is kinda rude on your part. It was Luthor that did this to Dick not The Titans."  
  
"Actually it was I who did this to him."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I trained him; I brought him in to my world. Not and easy world to live in, yet he not only lived it he thrived it. Despite everything he never lost his humanity, until now." Bruce turned and stared off into the distance trying to keep his emotions in check.  
  
"Ever since I brought him back from Europe I have watched him fade, at first it was slow. He seems to struggle with the unknown but he never gave up. Then the dreams returned, or at least noticeably returned. Then the progression became almost immediate; I wanted to hide him from the hurt, but Alfred made a point of telling me by doing that I was condemning him to becoming me. It suddenly made sense I was watching him literally do what I did, but when I withdrew... I had become Batman. If I hadn't need Bruce as a distraction, he would have totally vanished from the world. I mean think about it. If your only memory of your true persona was the death of those you loved, what would you do?"  
  
"Avoid being"  
  
"That's what I tried to make happen to the 'real Bruce Wayne' he died the same day his parents did, or should have, and I watched it happening all over when Dick began to withdraw" . "But he didn't cling to Nightwing." Roy pointed out. "In fact he seems to have dug in deeper. So tell me, what is the difference between Nightwing and Batman?" Roy just looked confused.  
  
"Nightwing isn't a Tightass!" Bruce smirked. The look of shock on Roy's face was priceless.  
  
"Nightwing allowed himself the luxury of friendship. Something I considered a logistic flaw. When Brother Blood took his mind he nearly killed the other members of his team "his friends". Nothing Blood did could have hurt him more than those actions. That was a guilt that he has had to bare for a long time." Bruce paused in thought for a moment then continued "When Dick awoke from surgery he had no clue who he was. Then Garth and Donna showed up something clicked but it wasn't good. Since that day the nightmares started returning. I can only conclude that he is remembering what he had done to them."  
  
Roy sat on the rot iron benches that decorated the patio, holing his head in his hands as if he were trying to keep any of this information from slipping out through his ears.  
  
"The nightmares are rebuilding this Dick Grayson." Bruce continued. "Except, this Dick Grayson died the moment he saw his parents fall, and Nightwing is evil and only brought those around him pain, at least what he remembers of it. Funny, one of the questions he asked me before Superman took him to Star Labs was why we wore the costumes and if we hurt people."  
  
Roy started talking as if someone turned one a switch in his mind and started a computer "His only "known" dreams, slash, memories are of the worse moments in Dick's life. His personality, and inner strength, the results of his parents, People he can't remember but for the moment of their death. Something he has always felt guilty for surviving... Bruce just nodded as Roy continued. "Because he doesn't have any positive memory but still has that over active analytic mind. The guilt has become too much for him, the only choice is to cling to his other self "Nightwing'" Roy looked up for conformation from Bruce then continued. "But if all you remember is what Blood forced in to his head about the evils of what the uniform stood for and what you did to your friends when in that uniform, that would make him evil. Am I getting the gist?  
  
Bruce nodded  
  
"So basically, he is running away from the "evil" part of him because somewhere trapped deep inside is the 'little orphan Dicky' and his whole 'the sun will come up tomorrow' attitude that will not allow him to do something bad intentionally."  
  
"That would be my best guess." Bruce agreed,  
  
"So Alfred is right, somewhere in that man down stairs is the same kid that kept our fearless leader from always staying under the effects of the drugs all those time Blood got to him. The one that kept him from just slugging me all the times I ticked him off." Roy paused again to see Bruce acknowledged his theory. "Whew, I always knew one day all that thinking would short out his brain. This is nuts. So explain tonight?"  
  
"Same thing, but probably the last straw. If he was dream sequencing when Lian ran to him when his eyes open his reactions where instinctive... but to him only added to the nightmare, he nearly hurt someone The inner self knows he cares deeply about, it was enough of a shock to shake up our Dick Grayson, You remember what happened to Dick after the Blood fiasco, and you are all capable of taking care of your selves. But Lian? She is an innocent. I don't think he could live with that. And from what I saw, he won't live with that."  
  
"You sound like you talk from experience".  
  
"I guess I do". Bruce looked all too human as he sat on the cast iron bench of the garden "Someone ... Someone I let myself get close too... was forced to use a gift she had for evil purposes. Something, totally against what she was. Like Dick, she withdrew. I got the best help money could buy. Eventually she came back but only to a time, when she was happiest a time before her gift had become known. She is now a four year old in the body of a 36-year-old woman. Doctors told me she would never be anymore than the little girl she is now."  
  
"So because Dick doesn't remember his happy life with his parent life as little Dicky Grayson circus performer he... will stay locked away inside his own mind. There is no hope?"  
  
"Most of what Dick is, as a man, was built into him through his relationship with his parents. Lord knows; I can't take credit for any of it. It is why he could so easily adapt to being part of a family, if all he remembers of his family is their death. He has nothing to build good memories on. Until last night he's never shown any sign of come back. Would you want to come back to the stuff he has survived if there is no happiness there? When he thought he hurt Lian, I think it destroyed any chance of Dick Grayson ever returning  
  
Neither man noticed the little pair of green eyes that had watched them from behind the Curtain in the den. Or the tear that ran down her cheek. 


	13. faith of a child

Lost Hope  
  
Chapter 14  
  
Lian knew everyone thought she was a sleep. It was best that way since, she knew daddy would not be happy about her doing this. Mr. Alfred was still in the kitchen and Mr. Bruce and her daddy where in the garden talking. It was dark outside and inside too but you don't live with a Navajo daddy and the Batman's son and not learn how to sneak around in the dark. Once in the den, she found her way to the clock.  
  
Her daddy and unca Nightwing talked about the clock all the time, when they thought she was a sleep. It was the door to the Cave. And the cave was where they took her unca Nightwing. She had to tell him she wasn't hurt. she had to show him that she was ok, so he would be "all better". She looked a long time at the grandfather clock. She opened the glass door and looked inside it. She pushed at the sides and back but it wouldn't open. After carefully closing the door she stood quietly for several minutes in front of the trying to think like an adult.  
  
"Unca Dick says always says know your 'ponent think like them and you can beat them. Mr. Bruce is a big man he wont fit in the door." She thought. Looking around the large room there was all kinds of things maybe there was a clue. Nothing in here but books paintings and more books. Then she smiled.  
  
"OPEN SEZME." Nope that didn't work. "... besides I don't think Mr. Bruce ever read that book" she was about to break into tears when she heard someone coming down the hall she quickly hid in the dark corner beside the clock. She was tucking her self deep in the side of the tall structure when it moved. She remained still until the footsteps fell away, and then carefully pushed against the side of the clock. It opened quietly up into a large dark stairway.  
  
She was more afraid now than she could ever remember being but she had to do this not for her but for her Unca. As she stepped into the darkness the stair way lit up in a wash of red light. She remembered to shut the door like her daddy always told her to do. If you put everything back just the way you found it no one will know you've been there, and a good Navajo can stand in front of you and never be seen. She giggled never made sense when daddy said it either.  
  
Lian turned back around to find the room was bigger than any she could remember seeing "Dis is the bat cave. Huh." she whispered to no one special. In the center of the room was computer even larger than the one in the Titan's tower. She walked up into the center of it and turned around. It suddenly lit up with flashing blinking whirling lights. What was she going to do now? She didn't know how to use a computer. "UH... Um... Sorry to wake you ..." she mumbled at the machine. "But I want to see my unca Nighwing. Can you show me where he is?"  
  
Nothing happen the lights still blinked and whirled but it didn't answer her question. She climbed up into the large chair and put her chin on her knees. Tears were beginning to fall from her face. "I wanna see my unca." She cried out still trying to control the tears that fell from her cheeks. She kicked out angrily at the large hunk of metal. "I WANNA SEE MY UNCA" the impact on the computer sent the chair spinning in a circle and bats began to screech overhead. When the chair stopped and she finally got all the tears wiped away from her large green eyes she noticed another light behind a wall. She climbed down softly and peeked around the wall.  
  
It's a dockers office, like the one at the Tower,She surmised   
and Her unca nighwing was asleep in the middle of it .  
  
She pulled the large padded high backed chair over to his bed she climbed up on to it.  
  
"Unca Dick it's me," she whispered "Its me, Lian."  
  
He didn't move. Then she realized he couldn't someone had tied him to the bed. "Are you sure, Mr. Batman likes you?" she mumbled not understanding why any one would tie down her uncle. She began to unbuckle the straps around his wrist then the one around his chest. It took her a couple of minutes but she was doing it to help him so she had to do it right, Careful not to hurt the tubes that they hung from him. "You can wake up now I'm here. I take good care of you." His face was wet as if he had been crying in his sleep. Once when her daddy was working he stayed the night with her, he had a bad dream that scared him awake. Her daddy said that bad dreams happen to a lot of people. She gently wiped away the dark curl that fell over his eyes and kissed him on the head like her daddy did to her anytime she had a bad dream. Then she climbed down from the bed and knelt on to the over stuffed chair.  
  
"Mr. God...Um I don't know what I'm spose to call you everyone seems to have a different name for you so I hope at least one of yous are list'ning I need your help. My Unca Dick needs your help too. See he lost his rememory. And because of that it makes him sad. I wan you give him his rememory back. He needs it.  
  
If you not sure which one it is you might look unner Richard Grayson or nighwing. I not spose to tell anyone that they are all the same person but I think it would be ok to tell you. I heard Daddy and Mr. Bruce say he don't rememer his daddy and mommy, he don't rememer all the happy things he used to do with them before they wen to heaven." She paused a moment to peak over the chair and see if Dick had moved but he hadn't so she knelt down by the bed again and continued.  
  
"Unca Dick was in the Circus wiff elephants and tigers and clowns an such. He used to miss him mommy a lot, like I do but my mommy not in heaven. Have him memer me and Daddy and aunt Donna too. Cause we had lots of fun together too. I know you can make him all better. I don't wan him scared no more. I don't wan him to think he hurt me I know he loves me, and I love him. So if it's ok wiff you I will lay down wiff him like my daddy does when I get scared. Thanks for lissenin."  
  
She climbed back up into the bed being careful of the tubes tucked her self in to his arms and laid her head on his shoulder.  
  
Bruce watched as the young man known as Arsenal to the other members of the Titans, struggled with the waves of thoughts and memories that washed through him His life was no picnic, the young man survived a lot of things, but few that he can brag on. The death of his parents and consequential feeling of not belonging he first felt being raised on the reservation; he eventually became young partner of a man who was even worse at the personal stuff of parenting then Bruce, Green Arrow. One thing led to another and Roy became hooked on drugs. Later he became involved with the government, which nearly undermined the Titans for good and if his plate wasn't full enough, he became involved with an international assassin by the name of Cheshire. But sometimes the worst mistakes in your life can give birth to your biggest blessings Cheshire is Lian mother. Lian is Roy's anchor it's what holds him to the ground when the world wants to wiz by him. It keeps him from making stupid mistakes because he has something to live for. For Batman it was Robin. For Bruce it was the young man whom lies catatonic in the Batcave. If moments like these taught Bruce anything, it taught him that Bruce Wayne did not die the same night his parents did, if he had this would not hurt so much.  
  
"Penny for your thought Harper." He whispered as they watched the sun begin to push its light over the foreboding veil of darkness. Roy didn't look back but instead stared off in the distance.  
  
"My first thought is to apologize for everything I ever said about you. ...Behind your back of course"  
  
"Of course." Bruce smiled.  
  
"The second would be to run upstairs and hold so tight to my daughter that she would never forget me or how much I love her."  
  
"I'll tell you a little secret, Alfred confided in me, Children are like eggs no matter how hard boiled they may be if you hold them too tight they will break under the pressure and slip away through even the tiniest space between your fingers."  
  
"Your talking about the time you fired Robin/ Dick."  
  
Bruce confirmed Roy's interpretation with a nod.  
  
"Third thought is that; I have spent too much time here, cause I am starting to understand you. Fourth thought is; I am dead tired and should go up to bed. And my fifth thought would be; you're a multibillionaire you should be able to afford a hell of a lot more then a nickel." 


	14. New hope

Chapter 15  
  
Roy headed up the stairs while Bruce decided to check on Dick before he attempted to nap. Bruce never made it to the den door when Roy hurdled the rail of the stairs and landed behind him. The look of total panic crossed his face. "She not in her room"  
  
Bruce looked totally baffled  
  
"Lian isn't in the bed." I looked all around the bed. Checked the bathroom she not there either.  
  
"Maybe she went exploring?"  
  
"In this house? Dear God, she could be lost for months."  
  
He watched as Bruce reached over to his desk and pressed a button. "Calm yourself Roy well go look in the monitor room we'll find her."  
  
Just as the shutters on the den windows darkened and a wall revealed its secret, Alfred appeared from out from behind the Grandfather clock.  
  
"You rang, sir."  
  
He said as he watched Bruce place himself behind the panels of TV screens.  
  
"Alfred, it would appear that our youngest guest is missing, I will contact the grounds security and try and find her with the monitors."  
  
"Sir that will be unnecessary. Miss Lian is quite safe and well." He smiled, nodding towards the clock  
  
"You have her? Down stairs!" Roy snapped, making for the clock in a full sprint.  
  
"Alfred why in the world would you take her down there."  
  
"I didn't, we discovered her there asleep next to Master Dick when I took Leslie down there to check on him."  
  
"I would have told you but we were a bit busy with Master Dick, He was waking up,"  
  
Both Bruce and Alfred where stopped next to the entry way with Roy, by Leslie.  
  
"Dick is awake, but complaining about one heck of a headache." She announced. "I gave him a sedative and he is really groggy, but for the most part he is fine. In fact I think he is better than he has been in months."  
  
"What do you mean?" Bruce asked stunned. "He's talking?"  
  
"Look for yourself. "  
  
Bruce stepped passed Leslie. Dick lay on his side with Lian tucked neatly next to him asleep, his eyes where closed, but he looked peaceful.  
  
"Is the child alright?" Bruce asked.  
  
"She is fine. When I got here she awoke long enough to say she was going to wait there till he woke up so that he would know she is ok. She is quite the determined young lady. Dick awoke soon after, he was quite coherent his first concerns were, her then when he was sure she was ok he told us about the headache... we took and x-rayed his head. All I can figure is a concussion from the fall in the ditch. But I want to keep a close eye on him for a couple of days.  
  
"Does he remember anything?" Roy injected.  
  
"He wasn't really awake long enough to ask. I just informed him that Lian said she was going to stay right there so he knew she was ok. He looked confused but he decided to let her sleep while we went to do the x-rays and then he when he came back he curled up on the bed next to her."  
  
"That still doesn't explain how she got here." Bruce walked out to the computer console and brought the security cameras on screen. "Why had the girl not set of the intruder alarms how did she get access in here in the first place?"  
  
He watched the video as the little girl came down the stairs while he began checking the equipment for some kind of virus or error that might explain why the lights came on but no intruder alert was sounded. But found nothing.  
  
"I am glad the alarms didn't sound, it would have scared her to death." Roy whispered.  
  
He watched the screen as it replayed her appearance. She came up to the computer chair and began to ask questions to the oversized machine. Roy nearly fainted when she kicked the computer and yelled out 'I want my unca Dick.'  
  
"Oh Boy, I hope she didn't brake anything." he cringed  
  
"If she did you will be working it off for years." Bruce mumbled in his best "BAT". Roy just swallowed hard and watched as she wandered in to the med lab moments later she moved the large chair "My daughter is a fricken genius" Roy mumbled as they watched her climb up on the bed and begin to mother the young man before him then the watched as she climbed back down and prayed.  
  
"When all hope is lost, go to a higher source." Roy whispered.  
  
Alfred smiled "Hope is never lost in the eyes of a child. How easily they can renew ones faith. Praise God, it's all over."  
  
With those words the room suddenly went cold. Both Alfred and Roy watched, as Bruce walked away from the group and wandered deep into the darkness of the cave. "I have a feeling that God has a little more work ahead of him." Roy whispered.  
  
"Amen, Master Roy," Alfred concluded "Amen." 


	15. New End and beginning

Lost Hope  
  
Chapter 16  
  
The room was darker than normal when President Luthor returned to his quarters. He spent the day feeling like he was being watched, and not just by the secret service and or his bodyguards. The sensation was so strong he threw the 'bodyguards', young ladies, specially picked to keep him company at night, out of his room. But even he was not stupid enough to do that before he had them and his agents do a complete sweep the room with dogs to make sure no one was in there. He even heard one now ex- Agents make some snide remark about checking under the bed for the boogieman. He was not used to people making fun of him to his face, he was after all Lex Luthor the most powerful man in the world, He had tried to read a book but could not concentrate so he thought he would turn out all the lights and just wait for sleep to come.  
  
For hours it seemed like he was jumping up to even the smallest of noises. He jumped at everything from the wind outside to the groans and moans of the old mansion. At some pint it got so bad he began to calling for help every time a shutter rattled or a board creaked. He would have them search his room thoroughly then he kicked everyone out yet again, making sure they all knew he was displeased. Slamming the doors behind the agents he locked the doors and return to bed. Sleep still eluded him he gave up and reached to turn on his bedside lamp finding it no longer worked. He jumped back in fear. But before he could make a noise a gauntlet wrapped tightly around his neck with a knuckle pushed tightly into his juggler notch. As long as the president struggled beneath the grip it just got tighter, finally he conceded he wasn't able to break the Batman's grip.  
  
"Luthor, I just dropped by to let you know I am watching you. You were never one of my favorite people but this time you have gone to far. It was just by the grace of God that my son survived this ordeal." Batman announced, "Now Stop struggling or you will not get to hear what I have to say."  
  
The little moon light that worked its way in to the room seem to accent the hate in the mask of the vigilante, who waited a moment for the man to relax under his grip.  
  
"Understand, You have abused you power for the last time. Understand also that you can stop pressing the emergency button under your covers, I disabled it. If I wanted to I could have snapped you neck hours ago. Not that it matters, you have cried wolf so many times even the dogs don't want to respond to your boogie man. It is not smart to piss off the people who are supposed to be protecting you."  
  
"What do you think your doing, Batman?"  
  
"The Native American called it counting coup, a test of skill and show of strength."  
  
The man pulled a gun from beneath the pillow pointed it between the eye slits in the Dark knight's cowl.  
  
"I guess you didn't count on this." Luthor smiled, "Now, You understand! I am the president of the United States of America," Lex growled as the masked vigilante slowly removed his hand from the man's throat and stood up crossing his arms. "I will do as I damn well please. If I want to kill every one of you masked freaks or wipe out three quarters of the planet. It is mine to do. "  
  
"I don't think so, Mr. President." The batman sneered, "By the way the gun is not loaded."  
  
Click, click  
  
The president stared blankly at the weapon in his hand, but before he to could pull the trigger a third time Batman knocked the gun from his hand and again held the man to his bed by the throat, this time tighter.  
  
"That is twice you have attacked me and mine, for someone who has an uncanny financial prowess your common sense is really lacking. I will say this once so listen well. You best plan for an early retirement. You keep all the wrong friends and have made all the wrong enemies. Until now your political ambitions where no more than a minor inconvenient, but now you have over stepped your authority and it nearly cost a lot of people their lives. I had better not hear of your involvement in anything that is not above board, if you plan to finish out this term, or I will return. Rest assured, if I ever have to come back because of you, your life would not be worth living."  
  
"Ha, I know your kind; your pitiful morals will not allow you to carry out that threat. If you could kill anyone criminals like the Joker wouldn't exist." The president hissed from under the gauntlet that remained tight around his neck.  
  
"I didn't say kill, Mr. Luthor. You're quite right about the annoying sense of morals, though lately I have found it MUCH easier to by pass them, I probably would not kill you, but then you would be surprised what you can live though."  
  
"Now I am going to leave so I suggest you remain in bed and quiet we wouldn't want to wake your secret agents."  
  
As the figure dissolved back into the shadows, Luthor jumped from his bed screaming for his guards who were locked out during his last tirade. When he finally got the door open the guard quickly flipped on the lights only finding the same empty room he checked a thousand times before.  
  
The President ranted for an hour screaming about Batman's attack on him but no one saw or heard anything.  
  
"Sir, if you where in trouble why did you not press the emergency button."  
  
"I did you Dolt, he disabled it!"  
  
The agent walked over to the button on the bed and pressed it sending all the lights and alarms on. The officers just stared at each other.  
  
"I tell you, I pressed it." The president objected to the unasked comments.  
  
"Well, sir if that didn't work why didn't you use your gun? Even if you fired it in the air it would have alerted your people."  
  
"I did use it, you fool. I fired it at him point blank, nothing happened, he said he took the bullets from it."  
  
One of the guards handed the agent the gun that lay on the floor next to the bed. After looking in to the chamber he turned the gun at the bed and fired, causing everyone to jump when it went off leaving a large hole in the bedding. Soon after ward another officer came into the room whispered something in the lead agent's ear then left.  
  
"Sir, I don't know what you think happened but we have cameras all over this building and they show nothing. Is it possible to have dreamed all this?"  
  
This line of questioning set off a whole new line of ranting by the president keeping the President men busy for hours.  
  
The next day the news was full of Batman sightings all over Gotham. Including one where he single handedly stopped a major terrorist act to at the Mayors mansion during a political party for Luthor's political party at the same time he had supposed to be at the white house.  
  
Rumors started bubbling up about the president's unwillingness to run for another term soon after that. Luthor refused to speak to the press core about anything.  
  
Nightwing had return to his patrols in Bludhaven. For a few months he was saddled with a partner, but for the most part, but all things considered it could have been worse. Dick Grayson on the other hand did not have much of an option he had to move from his small apartment in the lower part Bludhaven because of all the publicity from so called skiing incident. He moved to the upper part of town, in the towers that Clancy worked at. Clancy and most of the people from the old neighborhood seem to understand that he left not because he felt he was better than them but because his being there would only bring problems to the neighborhood including people expecting the heir to the Wayne fortune to keep loads of money somewhere in the tiny apartment.  
  
Strangely enough, they also seem to understand why he chose to live there instead of knob hill. He found they seem to understand his need for the reality of the small neighbor hood and the blue-collar world he chose over the world of the social elite. He explained that the small apartment felt more real to him than the plastic world of the socialite. "It ain't as dangerous either." John Law pointed out. "The first time you take to the Swiss Alps like a playboy you rap your self around a tree. Seems being a Bludhaven cop is safer. That is saying a lot."  
  
For the most part Dick showed no signs of the injuries that had scrambled his head and his life. He knew nothing about what happened except for what others told him and what he read in the papers and newsreels. The only real memory at all was the words Bat Angel, Boy and Survive. For weeks it gave him great joy to see the conundrum it caused in Roy's mind. It also gave him a bit more insight in the cover story.  
  
Roy, on the other hand, had a completely different outtake of the situation. Seems Dick falling on his head affected Bruce's mind. He became human. To the point of actually allowing Roy to stay at the manor with out having the silverware counted ever other day. Roy even made up some story about them talking in the garden like they were family. Dick remembered thinking that would have been something he would have liked to have seen, and deep down in his soul he hoped he would one day experience.  
  
When he was able Bruce took Dick and Barbara to the island where he was found. They wandered around looking to see if anything jogged his memory. He and Bruce actually had to move the fallen tree he had used to set his arm, out of the way of Barbara's 4-wheel drive chair. But it went unrecognized. Bruce led them up to the cave where he was found. Words were scribbled all over the walls a primitive map and a makeshift bed was visible by the light of the portable lamps they carried. Every one stopped when Dick began to giggle.  
  
"Son, is there something you recognize?  
  
"Nope," he laughed, "I was just thinking how this doesn't look much different than my old apartment in the Haven."  
  
Barbara laughed too and the equivalent of a smile even crossed Bruce's face "Yea which is another reason it was best that we didn't bring Alfred with us."  
  
Babs stopped at the wall directly in front of the makeshift bed "Dick, this is what you kept writing in dirt at the manor. What does it mean." He swung his light over to the wall That read, Bat, Angel, Boy, Survive He shrugged his shoulder. "Sorry, I have no idea"  
  
Bruce smiled, "I know!"  
  
"Leave it to the Worlds Greatest Detective to know what I was thinking even before me"  
  
"When I found you, I was dressed as batman, you didn't seem to recognize me as whom I was, yet you trusted me and you told me that you did everything I told you to, even before I had gotten there. So "Bat" was your training." "Then you showed me who your angel was" He pulled a picture out of his pocket and handed it to Dick who lowered it so that Barbara could see it.  
  
"Batgirl? I used to keep that in my glove. Dick explained "I couldn't keep a picture of you there without you placing you in danger in event of my ever being captured or killed.  
  
Barbara blushed and laid her head on his thigh he just brushed her hair aside and stood quietly next to her.  
  
"And the Boy you said was your brother or you. You where not sure. I think it was both. Tim was devastated when you went down. But he never gave up hope that he would find you. Robin is very much a strong willed person no matter who wears the costume. Robin has the strength, faith and innocents of youth. Despite the hell I put him through."  
  
Gently tapping on the wall he announced "What you have there was your reason to do the last. Survive."  
  
Bruce then just smiled and walked away leaving Dick and Barbara staring at the wall  
  
Dick noticed a tear rolling down her face as she stared at the picture in her hand. He bent down to brush away the tears.  
  
"Hey what's that for?  
  
"I nearly lost you." she sobbed, "I nearly lost you and all you had to remember me was something I can never be again."  
  
Dick cringed as she began to let her tears flow a little harder. There was a reason he had never told anyone he kept her picture there.  
  
"Babs I told you it was the only way I could keep you with me at all times with out endangering you."  
  
"But don't you see this is what got you through that time this is all you knew of me. When it should have been me that got you through your ordeal, it was BATGIRL."  
  
"There is where I think you are wrong."  
  
They turned around to find Bruce standing behind them. "First of all it wasn't batgirl that he recognized, he referred to her as his Angel. Second, every time he wrote those words he wrote them just as you see them Bat over Angel over Boy over the word Survive, like an equation". Bruce stepped in front of them blocking there view for a moment then turned around and stepped away from the wall he had smeared everything but the first letters of the words BABS.  
  
"Its my guess you were in fact the one thing that got him through this ordeal."  
  
The End. 


End file.
